Let’s clarify one thing right away: in reality, the Nike Cortez from Kill Bill do not have this official name. They are not even called from Bruce Lee, but will be released as yellow and black or something similar. Perhaps Vivid Sulfur. Obviously, if they had the name of Tarantino’s film or that of the late action star, the Swoosh company would have to pay a lot of money in copyright fees. Furthermore, the shoes that Uma Thurman wore in Kill Bill were Onitsuka Tiger Mexico 66, the same model that Bruce Lee used in The Way of the Dragon, a film that our beloved Quentin paid homage to in his revenge-driven masterpiece.
Why do we call them Nike Cortez from Kill Bill? The reason is simple: they have the same color scheme as the legendary Onitsuka Tiger Mexico 66 worn by the unforgettable character of the “Bride”.
Apparently, it’s a rather interesting year for black and yellow sneakers. In the past, we have seen the rise of the Onitsuka Tiger Mexico 66 in yellow and black, a silhouette and color combination that has gained momentum on the streets and in feeds in recent months. The demand has been so high that the shoes have recently come back in stock.
Even CLOT has initiated a collaboration with Nike not long ago and has adorned their new Clotez silhouette with the famous Bruce Lee-inspired makeup, covering the interior with a white upper along with black Swoosh and a removable black insole.
The Nike Cortez from Kill Bill
Nike has more Bruce Lee tributes in store, a.k.a. Kill Bill, and has unveiled the official images of the Cortez in said colorway. Featuring a yellow nylon upper, these Cortez are reinforced with suede on the toe and heel in a similar tone. The sole is white, and the Swooshes add a touch of black. The heel tabs are characterized by an eye-catching yellow embroidery, while the addition of silver laces gives the design an elegant finish.
The Nike Cortez is one of Nike’s most iconic models. However, these shoes, which are nearly 50 years old and marked the beginning of the swoosh empire, were not created by Nike, but by another company: the Japanese Onitsuka Tiger.
“A hungry tiger hunts best.” This is how Bill Bowerman, the American athletic coach and founder of Nike, presented the Onitsuka TG-24. Before creating the world’s most famous sportswear company, Bowerman worked for the Japanese company Onitsuka and it was for them that he created a pavement-hungry model: the TG-24.
In August 1966, Bowerman ordered 300 pairs of his creation, the TG-24 / Shoe designed by Bill Bowerman w/Mexico Line for distribution in the United States. Despite the cumbersome name, the shoe met all the needs of athletes and became one of the best-selling running shoes of the year.
The Nike Cortez from Kill Bill
At the time, Bowerman and his business partner Phil Knight were running a sports shoe distribution company in Oregon, Blue Ribbon Sports (BRS). Established in 1964, BRS imported performance footwear from Japan to the U.S. and found a very receptive market in the running culture. In 1967, Bowerman renamed the shoe to Mexico, a more fitting name for the market.
Mexico was a nod to where the upcoming 1968 Olympic Games would take place. As the Olympic year progressed, the BRS team and Onitsuka Tiger sought a more appealing name. Thus, they decided to call the shoes Aztec, in reference to ancient Mexican history and the Aztec empire.
At first, it seemed like a great idea, but on February 13, 1968, they received a letter from Germany: adidas drew their attention to the fact that the name Aztec was too similar to their running shoe Aztec Gold.
May 30, 1971, is a historic date: Bowerman and Knight changed the name of their company to Nike Inc, inspired by the Greek goddess of victory. They decided to introduce their own line of sneakers with the Nike Cortez as their flagship. It marked the beginning of a long legal battle with Onitsuka Tiger to establish who had the rights to the name Cortez.
Both companies continued to sell shoes with a similar design under the Cortez name until 1974 when a court ruled in favor of Nike. This prompted Onitsuka to rename their sneaker and change the design to Tiger Corsair.
Over the years, Nike maintained the original design of the Cortez but changed the fabric they were made of. So, in 1974, they introduced Cortez made entirely of leather, suede, and nylon. Of the three models, the most popular was undoubtedly the least noble: the nylon. Its extreme lightness and striking appearance are very attractive.
Price and release date of the Nike Cortez from Kill Bill
The Nike Cortez in the Kill Bill theme will be available for sale in the upcoming weeks on the official Nike website. The price will be around 99 euros.
Originally appeared on AllinReplica Spain