Nike

World-renowned sportswear giant, Nike, was founded in 1964 as a collaboration between Phil Knight and his University of Oregon track coach, Bill Bowerman. Originally called ‘Blue Ribbon Sports’, the brand was renamed Nike after the Greek goddess of victory, in 1971, at which time it also introduced its now iconic ‘Swoosh’ logo. With the rise of hip hop culture, Nike quickly became a status-symbol amongst 1980s youth culture and sneakerheads, and proceeded to earn endorsements from notable athletes such as Michael Jordan and LeBron James. Their collection of sought-after footwear, such as the cult-classic Air Max and Air Force 1s, earned them their reputation as an influential unisex sportswear brand, with innovative performance-driven features, like light air cushioning, DryFit and Flywire technology, and Lunarlite foam. Currently an urban streetwear staple, Nike continues to expand its product line with tech fleece apparel, sports bras, swimwear, and accessories.