The best Nike shoes you can buy right now

Nike trainers are for everyone, from the city-dwellers to the hoop shooters to the marathon runners. They’re the throughline of the world’s shoe racks. The people’s ‘shoeniform’ of choice, if you will. And thanks to the likes of Kim Jones, Chitose Abe and the late Virgil Abloh – designers who’ve incorporated Swoosh-adorned sneaks into their recent runway collections – the brand has finally reached the apex of fashion. Consequently, the bon ton now share the same penchant for Nikes as the stalwart sneakerheads who’ve been sporting the label since day dot.

How was Nike founded?

How did we all get here? Things kicked off when Phil Knight, a 24-year-old Stamford graduate, took a trip to Kobe, Japan, in 1962. (Yes, we’re going there – get comfortable.) After stumbling upon Onitsuka Tiger sneakers, Knight struck a deal with founder Mr Onitsuka to distribute his sports-centric footwear in the States.

Once the trainers arrived in the US a year and a bit later (DHL wasn’t founded until 1969, in case you’re wondering), Knight sent two pairs to his former track and field coach, Bill Bowerman. The young entrepreneur hoped that Bowerman – a father figure of sorts to him – could assist in flogging a few pairs of the low-cost shoes. To his delight, Bowerman didn’t just want to support his venture, but he also wanted to become his business partner. And so, on 25th January 1964, Blue Ribbon Sports was born.

Throughout his tenure at the University of Oregon, Bowerman would build and modify running shoes for his athletes; tweaking for things like cushioning, energy return and breathability. It wasn’t long before he began to experiment with pre-existing Onitsuka Tiger training shoes, Frankensteining them together with new outsoles, midsoles, toe boxes and lacing systems to create newfangled designs. Eventually, Bowerman invented a prototype superior to any of the Japanese label’s offerings. After much deliberation, Bowerman christened his creation the Cortez.

In August '66, Onitsuka Tiger agreed to start producing pairs of the Cortez and two years later, the shoe became a best-seller for both brands. Athletes and tastemakers alike desired the silhouette – a testament to Bowerman’s knack for designing footwear that was as comfortable as it was handsome. The money was rolling in, and Blue Ribbon Sports continued to expand, but there was soon trouble in paradise.

Subsequent to manifold disagreements, Blue Ribbon Sports and Onitsuka Tiger decided to part ways in 1971. Post-break-up, Bowerman, Knight and co did what most new singletons do – they rebranded. The new name, Nike, had its genesis in one of a new employee's dreams in which he encountered the moniker of the Greek Goddess of Victory. The logo was designed by Portland State University student and illustrator Carolyn Davidson for just $35. (Don’t worry, Davidson received 500 shares of Nike stock just over a decade later.) Equipped with all the tools needed to renovate their identity, Blue Ribbon Sports officially became Nike, Inc., and the rest, as they say, is history – history you can read about in Phil Knight’s acclaimed novel, Shoe Dog.

What are the best Nike shoes you can buy?

Now, without further ado, let’s proceed with fulfilling the purpose of this article. From the best Nike running shoes and trail running shoes to the Nike sneakers you'll see in many a fashion week street style gallery, allow us to present you with the 12 best Nike trainers for men in 2023:

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