The History of the Blazer
Department of Nike Archives
Uncover the details behind the launch of the Blazer, dating back to the 1970s.
The story of the Nike Blazer starts in the early '70s. The shoe was named after Nike’s local pro basketball team — the Portland Trail Blazers — who had recently joined the league. In fact, according to the Department of Nike Archives, a couple members of the team were the first pros of any sport to wear the Swoosh.
They first wore 1972 Bruin prototypes. The Bruin and the Blazer are often confused because of their many similarities, but in December 1972, the Blazer also hit the court.
A catalog from the time read, “Rugged and well built for the maximum in support and comfort, the Blazer HT is the choice of champions coast to coast.” The “finest calf leather upper” was attached to the sole through a vulcanizing process (a massive oven that heat-cements the upper and rubber outsole together), that only a few Japanese factories could do at the time.
It wasn’t long after their release that both the Bruin and Blazer came in suede leather “with colors made for winners.” But that wasn’t the end of the momentum building.
When pro basketball star George "The Iceman" Gervin joined the league, he was wearing another shoe brand. Gervin became Nike's first athlete to receive a "player exclusive" shoe. That Blazer featured "ICEMAN" on the heel where "NIKE" would normally appear.
As Nike advanced basketball shoe technology, skaters picked up the Blazer and gave it off-the-court credibility. But it wasn't until 2005 that Nike SB would create a skate-specific Blazer.
From there, both the SB version and the OG took off, sparking many sought-after collaborations over the years.
In 1973, the above print ad was one of the first to feature Nike brand products, including the Blazer, Cortez, Greco and the Nike.
For more than five decades, the Blazer has endured as an iconic shoe with a nearly untouched design. Not a lot of shoes that started in the early ‘70s can claim that legacy.
Below, explore dozens of the latest Nike Blazer styles.