Nike Cortez - Happy 40th birthday!

Who would've guessed that GQ were such big fans of the LA gangbanger kicks-of-choice, the Nike Cortez?! Although, the magazine claims otherwise, I'm not sure I believe that GQ single-handedly rejuvenated the fortunes of the Cortez! ;)

For the 40th anniversary of the Cortez Nike did nothing except release a splash of new colorways but in 2009 there was a redesign - see the video below. For 2012, we have suede and nylon uppers to make you drool. I might dust off my Cortez in leather from back in the late 1980s (remember the black on black, red on red only available at Foot Locker?)

"We've been aggressively lobbying for Nike to properly revitalize one of our favorite OG sneakers, the Cortez, for years, and now—to pay homage to the shoe's fortieth anniversary—they've finally done it. (You're welcome, world.) The Cortez was once the most advanced running shoe on the market; now it's a perfectly nostalgic sneaker for the street. We think the freshest way to wear a pair is with a suit that can use a kick of color." GQ Magazine

The official Nike video



The unofficial street version