Nike has revealed its latest collection to celebrate the 2019 Pride season and it pays tribute to Gilbert Baker.
The sports giant first launched its Be True campaign in 2012 and has since raised
This year’s collection honors the work of the Pride flag creator, Gilbert Baker. All the pieces in the collection feature his signature.
Most importantly, each piece features the original flag Baker designed. In 1978, Baker hand dyed two pieces of fabric which featured eight strips of color. The sewed together fabric became a symbol for the LGBTI rights movement in San Francisco.
Photo: Nike
In the following year Baker was asked to make 400 flags for the San Francisco Pride parade. His manufacturer did not have enough pink material to meet the demand. So to even the split Baker also removed turquoise from the flag. Thus, the rainbow Pride flag as we know it today was born.
Photo: Nike
‘To celebrate Baker’s impact and memorialize his legacy, Nike partnered with the Gilbert Baker Estate, working hand-in-hand to create this year’s 2019 BETRUE collection,’ Nike said in a statement.
‘For the first time, the footwear, apparel and accessories all feature the icon’s original eight-color flag, as well as other meaningful “Gilbert-y” touches and symbols of Pride.’
Photo: Nike
The 2019 ‘BETRUE’ Collection features five pairs of sneakers, each lined by a pink left insole with Baker’s signature. They also feature and a rainbow-paneled right insole with the meaning of each color.
Photo: Nike
The Air Max 90 and Air Tailwind sneakers feature layered rainbow details meant to mimic Baker’s hand-sewn flags. The Tailwind, launched in the same year as Baker’s flag and features a deconstructed mesh upper that looks like a crop top.
Photo: Nike
The 2019 BETRUE collection will release at select global retailers on June 1, and on June 8 in North America on nike.com, SNKRS and at select Nike stores.
Photo: Nike
Photo: Nike
Photo: Nike
Photo: Nike
Photo: Nike
Photo: Nike
Photo: Nike
