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Why the Nike Cortez Is One of the Trendiest Retro Shoes to Shop Now — Over 50 Years After Its Release

Here's all you need to know about the classic sneaker style that everyone, from celebrities to fashion insiders, is wearing right now.

By Stacia Datskovska Plus Icon

Stacia Datskovska

Senior Commerce Writer for WWD

Recent Articles by Stacia Datskovska

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August 6, 2025, 12:24pm

jeremy allen white walking with a white bag in hand while wearing white nike cortez sneakers; white and green nike cortez shoe overlaid on paint streaks of blue and green colors

Courtesy Nike, Yevgen Romanenko, PG/Bauer-Griffin/Getty Images

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Top Nike Cortez Shoes to Buy Now

Nike Cortez Leather Women’s Shoes in University Red/Summit White/Gum Medium Brown/University Blue

Buy Now at nike $106.97 Jump to Details

Nike Cortez Textile Men’s Shoes in Baroque Brown/Sail/Light Orewood Brown

Buy Now at nike $90 Jump to Details

Nike Cortez Women’s Shoes in Fir/Sail/Pinksicle

Buy Now at nike $90 Jump to Details

View more +

Based on how frequently the Nike Cortez sneaker is spotted on today’s top trendsetters — rounding out their casual-cool, effortless outfit combinations with its retro charm — you’d think it was a silhouette that was released by the Swoosh brand at most a decade ago. But the Cortez is actually one of Nike’s original products: making its debut in 1972.

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Chances are high that your favorite celebrity owns not one but several iterations of the shoe. Whether it be Jeremy Allen White (who not only wears the Cortez sneaker in White/Black IRL but considers it a wardrobe essential in Season 4 of “The Bear”), Kaia Gerber, Bella Hadid, Emily Ratajkowski, or Alexa Chung, everyone seems to want a piece of the Cortez pie: styling their kicks with baggy, model-off-duty sweatpants, wide-legged jeans, chic athleisure sets, trouser and button-up combos, and more. Notably, Kristin Stewart went one step further by pairing a Thom Browne sparkling gown with a Cortez for a red carpet premiere of “Charlie’s Angels” in 2019.

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Nike Cortez Leather Women’s Shoes

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While filming this year’s hit film “Materialists,” Dakota Johnson also took fans on a journey of sorts — treating them to endless outfit mashups on set that spotlighted Nike’s Cortez. Its Baroque Brown colorway contrasted with her butter-yellow coordinates one time; on another day, she matched the same hue to a black midi skirt and blazer. Her love for the sneaker style seems to extend beyond the professional sphere, as Johnson also rocked the shoe with a patterned maxi dress in Mumbai this past January.

Dakota Johnson filming “Materialists” in New York City on May 8 and 9, 2024. Her footwear of choice on set was a Nike Cortez shoe in Baroque Brown. Courtesy Gotham, MEGA/Getty Images

Today, TikTok’s #nikecortez hashtag boasts over 20,000 posts and millions of likes on videos in which content creators offer styling inspiration, unbox the latest Cortez releases, rank the Cortez against comparable models, and bedeck its upper with popular shoe charms. A particularly viral TikTok clip, on GQ’s account, features none other than Jeremy Allen White, who laments the fact that Nike stopped producing his beloved white-on-white Cortez. “I love the shape of it, it’s super comfortable, you can exercise in ’em,” White says, listing reasons for his devotion.

On Reddit, posts related to the Nike Cortez get tons of daily upvotes and comments, sparking lively discussions about the best colors to shop today, how to get your hands on rare drops, and beyond. “Rocked the Nike Cortez at church today,” a user writes in a post under the 187,000-members-strong Subreddit r/SneakerFits, showcasing its versatility for all of life’s occasions.

The Cortez traces its origins back to more than 50 years ago: impressive for a shoe that experienced a 51-percent rise in search last year, as reported by Lyst, and shows no signs of shrugging off its virality anytime soon. Bill Bowerman, acclaimed track coach and Nike’s co-founder, designed the Cortez himself with athletic performance in mind. Specifically, cushioning was key for Bowerman, who made it the first running shoe to combine a full-length midsole with a sponge rubber layer below the upper. This kind of softness and support became an industry standard, and the Cortez itself quickly achieved the status of brand bestseller. Other unprecedented elements present in this OG shoe? Extra padding for the ball of the foot and a herringbone pattern on the outsole for better traction. While the Cortez was, indeed, unveiled at the 1972 Munich Olympics and catered specifically to long-distance runners, it soon stepped out from the universe of sports and into mainstream culture — as most of Nike’s best creations, like the LD-1000, have done.

Jeremy Allen White spotted on April 22, 2024, in Los Angeles, California, wearing the discontinued, all-white Nike Cortez shoe he can’t stop raving about. Courtesy PG/Bauer-Griffin/Getty Images

In the ’80s, the Cortez went as far as becoming a symbol of Los Angeles: donned by everyone from working-class residents to aspiring rappers, all of whom appreciated the shoe’s widespread availability, affordable, under-$100 price (something that’s a constant to this day, with some exceptions), and go-with-everything aesthetics. In the pop culture realm, the Nike Cortez received a fortuitous “Forrest Gump” placement, was worn by Whitney Houston as she sang the National Anthem during the 1991 Super Bowl, and appeared many times as part of George Costanza’s looks in “Seinfeld.”

Throughout all of this, the Cortez never failed to keep its authentic cool intact. Nike released hundreds of variations since the ’70s, including notable collaborations with “Stranger Things” and Kendrick Lamar, as well as themed takes like the black suede “Day of the Dead”; “Jackie Robinson Day,” honoring the famous baseball star (with metallic underlays behind the Swoosh logo); and “Forrest Gump,” bringing back the all-American, red-white-and-blue version gifted to Tom Hanks’ iconic character. For the shoe’s 45th anniversary in 2017, Nike tapped Bella Hadid to be the face of a campaign recreating Farrah Fawcett’s famous photo from the ’70s: in which she skateboarded in a pair of the Cortez while shooting “Charlie’s Angels.” Skateboard in hand, Hadid helped recontextualize the sneaker for the 21st century while confirming its timeless allure.

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Based on fashion’s current fascination with retro sneakers that are marked by slim silhouettes, bright color palettes, and easy wearability with all your go-tos across seasons, it’s easy to see why the Cortez remains a prized, no-brainer style. Brands from Miu Miu and Pra d a to Proenza Schouler and Loewe have put throwback runners on their spring 2025 runways, demonstrating with grace and finesse just how buzzy the trend is in the world of luxury and giving us some much-needed, sneaker-powered outfit ideas.

We named the Nike Cortez one of the best Nike shoes under $100 for a reason. It’s sleek and personality-laden but never too showy, meaning the rest of your getup can do all the talking. This being 2025, not 1972, Nike also recently rolled out some slight modifications to the shoe. Don’t worry, though: All the key attributes are still present, but the designs now have a wider toe area and firmer side panels to prevent warping. Also on offer are Nike Cortez varieties with textile uppers for added breathability, those whose suede is a bit more textured than usual and thus grants a heritage feel, and hot-pink crowd favorites that feed the resurgence of ’80s-era neon.

Nike Cortez styling inspiration here comes in the form of baggy jeans with a checkered print and a Loewe designer handbag for an extra burst of texture. Courtesy Jeremy Moeller/Getty Images

Whether you want to score a Cortez whose Swoosh overlay is outlined with perforations (we deemed this June 2025 release one of the best white sneakers for women!) or have already marked your calendar for the fall 2025 arrival of “Black Denim” (which swaps suede and leather for the jeans material in monochrome black), securing your very own Nike Cortez shoe to ride out the rest of 2025 in just might be your best decision yet.

Choosing only one Cortez to buy is like choosing a favorite child, so we’re here to make life easier by rounding up all the top-selling, TikTok-viral styles you need in your shoe rotation, stat.

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Shop the Best Nike Cortez Shoe Styles

Nike

Nike Cortez Leather Men’s Shoes in White/Varsity Blue/Varsity Red

$90

Buy Now at nike

Nike Cortez Textile Unisex Shoes in Adobe/Alabaster/Safety Orange/Hyper Pink

$76.97 $90 14% off

Buy Now at nike

Nike Cortez Leather Women’s Shoes in University Red/Summit White/Gum Medium Brown/University Blue

$106.97 $125 14% off

Buy Now at nike

Nike Cortez Textile Men’s Shoes in Baroque Brown/Sail/Light Orewood Brown

$90

Buy Now at nike

Nike Cortez Women’s Shoes in Fir/Sail/Pinksicle

$90

Buy Now at nike

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Meet the Author

Stacia Datskovska is a Senior Commerce Writer at WWD and FN. Previously, she worked at ELLE DECOR as an assistant digital editor, covering all things luxury, culture, and lifestyle through a design lens. Her bylines over the past five years have appeared in USA Today, Baltimore Sun, Teen Vogue, Boston Globe, Food & Wine, and more. Prior to joining ELLE DECOR, Datskovska learned the ins and outs of e-commerce at Mashable, where she tested products, covered tentpole sales events, and curated gift guide roundups. She graduated from NYU with a bachelor’s degree in journalism and international relations. Datskovska regularly reports on new footwear releases and archival, iconic styles both.

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With Demand Challenges Ahead, Under Armour’s Focus Now Is on Quality Not Quantity

QVC Group Emerges From Bankruptcy With Reduced Debt, New Financing

Ferran Torres on His World Cup-winning Goal, Fashion Ambitions and That Controversial Red Hat

Why the Nike Cortez Is One of the Trendiest Retro Shoes to Shop Now — Over 50 Years After Its Release

Recent Articles by Stacia Datskovska

Top Nike Cortez Shoes to Buy Now

Nike Cortez Leather Men’s Shoes

Nike Cortez Leather Women’s Shoes

Nike Cortez Leather Men’s Shoes in White/Varsity Blue/Varsity Red

Nike Cortez Textile Unisex Shoes in Adobe/Alabaster/Safety Orange/Hyper Pink

Nike Cortez Leather Women’s Shoes in University Red/Summit White/Gum Medium Brown/University Blue

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