Nike Sportswear Boating Pack
An archival-inspired capsule collection aptly titled the Reissue Release for SU21, Nike Sportswear turns its attention to its Blue Ribbon Sports lineage and University of Oregon alumni Geoff Hollister’s water-sports legacy for its sail-centric undertone. Prioritising nautical utility, technical structurings and energetic maritime graphics with all-season practicality, the NSW Boating Pack is one that pays tribute to late ‘80s prototypicality and Nike’s short-lived but significant ‘87 Boating Line.
Launched by the late Geoff Hollister in 1987, a good-friend of Bill Bowerman and Prefontaine Blue Ribbon Sports ambassador, as a way to introduce Nike’s visionary blueprint into the world of seafaring sports culture, Nike’s ‘87 Boating Line coincided with the decade’s rise in cruiser-racers and the generic charter industry. Releasing the now-remastered Aqua Sock in the same year, Nike’s Boating Line found itself dedicated to the USA Rowing Team of 1987, with its debut also assigned to Iain Murray’s Kookaburra III crew of the prestigious America’s Cup Challenger Series between October of ‘86 and February of the following year. Reflective of its water-side inclination, Nike’s pioneering advancements in specialist, heavy-duty fabrics was transferred from its classic track-and-field footing to suit the needs of water-based conditions, whilst block-tone colourings and sail-boat nomenclature was typical of the late ‘80s and ‘90s styling of preppy collegiate wear and sailing attire.
A like-for-like replica of its ‘87 release, the Nike Reissue Walliwaw Woven Jacket is in keeping with traditional maritime anoraks pioneered by the likes of Helly Hansen and Nautica during that era, whilst its preserved coastal namesake pays reference to its original off-shore intentions. Premium-woven polyester with a loose-fit tailoring ensures a comfortable wear beyond its native on-deck narrative, whilst the snap-button and half-zip compact-hooded neckline adheres to the design’s adheration to foulweather extremities and the crisp whip-around of the off-shore breeze. 1-1 detailings like the printed Nike Swoosh above-waist branding and left-chest decal remain true to its dual-toggled blueprint, with the embroidered multi-tonal flag like patches across the left-sleeve and rear-collar playfully spelling out Nike through a creative use of the international maritime-flag alphabet.
Block-tone colourings of game-royal and midnight-navy are inspired not only by the Boating Pack’s ties to coastal culture, but also pay tribute to the brand’s noted Oregon-sports track and field lineage. Crafted from lightweight French-terry cotton with a moisture absorbent loopback finish, the Nike Fairlead Crewneck Sweatshirt hosts a salt-wash vintage appeal that stays true to many new-season trends. Much like its collection counterpart, the Walliwaw Jacket, this panel-profiled sweater retains its ‘80s undertone and pictographic Nike flag-like branding, whilst rib-knit trims and a remodelled regular fitting make it a staple style casted-off to suit modern-day wear.
Deviating from the capsule collection’s archive-influenced moniker, the Nike Reissue T-Shirt and Nike Reissue Woven Shorts acquire themselves with a uniform-for-summer allocation that hosts a subtle reference to the releases USA team-sport derivation. An exclusive ‘Department of Archives: 1987’ print merits the ephemeral NSW Boating Line across the sail-boat honoring Reissue T-Shirt, with both the midnight-navy and sail-white colouring well-assigned to the collections maritime aesthetic. Inspired by heritage marine-style bermuda silhouettes and utilitarian cargo-short blueprints, the Reissue Woven Shorts strike the perfect balance between reclaimed ‘90s SU21 trends and recognized odes to Nike’s eminent ACG line, whilst the embroidered flag-patch ‘Nike’ detailing ties the above-knee design off in line with the collection’s ode to the ‘87 USA Rowing Team.
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