Before Nike was Nike, it was Blue Ribbon Sports, a name Nike founder Phil Knight created to placate the Japanese companies whose shoes he was importing in the ’60s. When Knight and Bill Bowerman began releasing their own shoes in 1972, Blue Ribbon had since been discarded as a name in favor of Nike, but its legacy lives on for shoe lovers and Swoosh Brand history buffs alike. Now, the Beaverton Brand is looking back to their formative BRS days for a heritage-styled take on the Zoom Pegasus 35 Turbo. Featuring a white, red, and blue color scheme that gives off original ’72 Nike Cortez vibes, these ultra-fast Pegasus boast a white mesh upper accented by a red Swoosh that dips down onto the two-tone white and blue midsole. A large strip of high-vis reflective material running down the throat and onto the toebox then provides low-light visibility. There’s plenty of alternate branding to be had here as well, with the heel, tongue, and insoles all featuring old-school Blue Ribbon embellishments. Although the look may be full of history, the cushioning tech is all futuristic, with Nike’s lightweight ZoomX foam providing a ride that’s simultaneously soft and springy. You can expect these compelling Nike shoes to release alongside a similarly-styled Epic React Flyknit 2 on Nike.com and at select Swoosh Brand stockists for $180 in the coming weeks, so peruse a full gallery of official images below while you wait.
Nike Zoom Pegasus 35 Turbo
$180
Color: White/Blue Void/Racer Blue/University Red
Style Code: CJ8296-100
