Summer is here and, as we’ve gotten used for the past several years, a new Nike BETRUE collection is ready to roll out. It was back in 2012 when a group of Nike’s employees came up with the idea of make some custom sneakers for Pride month, starting on June 1st. The concept of customizing Nike shoes so large groups can identify with dates from 1985 when a similar named collection featured collegiate sneakers dressed up in teams colors. Fast forward decades later it was the Nike BE TRUE Royal with a rainbow themed sole that opened the way for this new series celebrating the LGBT community. The original idea was to bring subtle customizations to already well-known styles, to be stylish and easy to match with any attire. It was an experiment at first but after the just the first year it turned into a movement. A big part of it was the brand’s decision to donate proceeds from the sales to the LGBT community, contributing financially to many of its rights groups. Other brands such as adidas and Converse have similar collections coming out every year.
The 2017 Nike BETRUE collection features four sneakers and several pieces of apparel, being in line with what we’ve seen in the recent years. There are some “Firsts” this year, like the rainbow Swoosh on the Flyknit Racer and the translucent rainbow themed sole unit on the VaporMax. Just as before, new and old styles are featured, such as the Nike VaporMax and the Nike Cortez. The latter features a rainbow band across its tongue, a subtle customization for the otherwise classic colorway. A pair of Pegasus 34 with a iridescent color palette completes this year’s shoes line-up. This year’s collection os part of the bigger EQUALITY initiative that was backed by big names in sport such as LeBron James, Megan Rapinoe and Serena Williams.
The 2017 Nike BETRUE collection also includes a pair of rainbow colored socks, along with tank tops and t shirts. The release date is 1st June, same as before, just in time to celebrate Pride month. For the first time the shoes will be available globally at various Nike retailer locations.
