Back in the summer of '94, Forrest Gump released in cinemas across the world. Regarded by many Letterboxd heads as the greatest movie of all-time, one of the most memorable moments in the film was when Forrest, played by Tom Hanks (but you knew that), was gifted a pair of Nike Cortez. He'd eventually go on a casual 15,000 mile run in them, resulting in this colourway being nicknamed the ‘Forrest Gump.’
Alongside the Onitsuka Tiger Tai Chi in Kill Bill and the Nike Mag in Back to the Future Part II, the Cortez ‘Forrest Gump’ is up there amongst the greatest sneakers in silver screen history. And to celebrate its big 30th birthday (HBD!), it's making a comeback.
Crafted from an all-white leather construction, the ‘Forrest Gump’ is accented with ‘Varsity Red’ across the Swooshes and heel badge, just like the original from back in the day. Additional Nike branding features across the tongue tag, and the lacing system is blinged up with a shiny stainless steel dubrae.
Underneath, the midsole is made from foam and is accented with a ‘Varsity Blue’ wedge insert for extra comfiness and bounciness. The trainer is then finished off with the classic herringbone outsole pattern. Not only does this look pretty cool, it also offers added grip and traction.
The Cortez was Nike's first ever track shoe, and it released at a time when the American sportswear company was still trying to find its feet. Introduced in the 1972 Summer Olympics in Munich (which is the same time that Adidas launched the SL-72), even though the model is now over five decades old, its overall design and aesthetic has pretty much stayed exactly the same. It's a shoe that's genuinely very legendary.
The Nike Cortez ‘Forrest Gump’ is set to return on May 8 in the US, and it's expected to get a global release within the coming weeks via Nike, the Snkrs app, and select stockists for £90.
