Debuting in ’72, the same year Nike would be incorporated, the Cortez began as a track-star phenom that completely revolutionized footwear, before transitioning to a lifestyle icon. Worn by generations of icons from Prefontaine and Whitney Houston to Bella Hadid and Kendrick Lamar, the Cortez has quite the fan club. Crafted with a premium leather upper the laterals are accented by stark black Swooshes while retro hangtags land on the tongue. A pebbled leather tab complete with debossed logo wraps the heel while underfoot we find a foam midsole slightly elevated at the heel. Lastly, a herringbone tread tracks the length of the outsole.