Nike

Nike is the world’s largest sportswear brand and the maker of sneakers that have shaped street style for decades. From the Air Force 1 to the latest releases, wherever sneakers are worn you will see the Swoosh. The brand links sports innovation with a major role in streetwear, music and skate culture.

The history of Nike

The story starts in 1964, when runner Phil Knight and his track coach Bill Bowerman from the University of Oregon founded Blue Ribbon Sports together. They first imported running shoes from Japan, which Knight initially sold out of his car at track meets. In 1971 came the brand’s own name, Nike, after the Greek goddess of victory, together with the Swoosh logo by designer Carolyn Davidson.

Meanwhile, Bowerman was looking for lighter and faster soles. His waffle tread, said to have been made with his wife’s waffle iron, became one of Nike’s first innovations. Air cushioning followed in the late 1970s, and in 1984 a young Michael Jordan signed with the brand. That partnership grew into Air Jordan, now a brand of its own within Nike.

What Nike is known for

Nike is best known for technology you can see and feel. With the Air Max 1, the Air unit became visible in the sole for the first time in 1987, and Zoom Air, React foam and knitted Flyknit uppers followed in later years. At the same time the brand keeps returning to its archive: classics from the 1980s and 1990s come back again and again in new colours and materials.

Nike is also strong in collaborations. Designers, artists and skate shops give existing models their own twist, so some releases sell out within minutes and are then mostly found on the resale market. That is how a forty-year-old model still feels new every season.

Popular Nike models

Air Force 1 – the 1982 basketball shoe with hidden Air in its thick sole, especially loved in all white.
Nike Dunk – the flat, clean basketball shoe from 1985, available in countless colour combinations.
Nike Air Max – the family built around the visible Air unit, with the Air Max 1, 90, 95 and 97 as the best-known versions.
Nike SB Dunk – the skate version of the Dunk, with a thick padded tongue and Zoom Air in the insole.
Nike Mind 001 and 002 – the new line from 2026, with a footbed full of separate foam nodes that stimulate your senses.

How do Nike sneakers fit?

Most Nike sneakers fit true to size, so you can stick with your usual size. There are differences between models, though: the Air Force 1 feels a little roomy, while the Dunk and some Air Max models have a narrower toe box. With wide feet, you will often want half a size up on those narrower models. The Nike Mind 001 is an exception: that slide only comes in whole sizes and runs on the small side.

If you see (W) in the product name, it is a women’s version that follows Nike’s women’s size chart. Going by EU size, you simply choose the same size as always; only the US size on the label differs.

Buy Nike sneakers at WOOVIN

On WOOVIN you will find Nike sneakers for women and men, from timeless basics such as the white Air Force 1 to sought-after collaborations and new releases. Torn between models? Pick the Air Force 1 or Dunk for a classic low-top, an Air Max for more cushioning and the SB Dunk if you are actually going to skate. Then filter by model and size to see what is available.