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As far as iconic branding goes, Nike’s swoosh is in a league of its own. Through some unknowable combination of innovation, good business and sheer luck, the instantly recognizable checkmark-esque logo — designed by then Portland State University student Carolyn Davidson in 1971 — has stood the test of time to become an intrinsic and essential shorthand for one of the most culturally relevant and trusted companies on the planet.
Nike’s GORE-TEX Collection Is Built to Withstand Any Weather
Impervious to wet conditions and perfect for a winter of wearWhile Nike’s symbol for performance, exclusivity and desirability has appeared across a range of mediums over the past half-century — everything from $65 running shoes to high-concept runway shows to entire sports leagues — the swoosh iconography itself has remained more or less unchanged, an ever-constant piece of visual identity for the Beaverton-based brand.
It’s for this exact reason that Nike’s latest batch of running shoes — a seemingly innocuous drop that splashes tentpole trainers like the Pegasus 41, Vomero 18 and just-launched Structure 26 with a creamy white and stone grey palette — is such a huge deal. At first glance, the pack might seem like just another colorway option, but one distinct and unexpected detail set the styles apart: the latest sneakers feature an inverted swoosh.
Flipping the Script
Unlike the vast majority of the brand’s general release sneakers, the “Summit White/College Grey” pack ditches the traditional lateral side-foot swoosh standard to most Nike styles. Instead, the variety of running shoes opt for a flipped black Nike swoosh that fades into the midsole, implemented with an over-designed “RUN” text graphic in place of the classic inner-foot Nike swoosh. (Worth noting, the classic swoosh outline still appears on the Vomero 18.)
Combined with a white tonal upper, off-white ReReactX or ZoomX foam midsole and grey and black accents, the funky logo-ing gives the otherwise clean trainers a more streetwear-leaning feel than other colorway options. They’ve got the kind of look you might expect to see from a lifestyle sneaker, with the same ridiculously cushy foam and snappy midsole plates that ensure Nike’s trainers are preferred by the best athletes in the world.
Reinventing the Swoosh
To be clear, this is not the first time that Nike has flipped its logo on a sneaker. Notably, Travis Scott has been a recent proponent of the design move, with an inverted logo first appearing on his Jordan 1 Retro High OG SP “Mocha” collab back in 2019 and becoming a signature construction for his various co-branded Dunks and Jordans releases.
There have been a number of other releases too that also include the logo quirk — dating all the way back to the Nike Air Darwin in 1994 — but it remains an unusual movement for general release sneakers, especially workhorse running styles that tend to focus more on performance than flair.
The freaked logo is almost certainly a unique exception to Nike’s traditional branding — don’t expect the inverted quirk to start popping up on any of the Swoosh’s heritage silos — and it’s a eye-catching design detail perfect for anyone serious about their milage…or their kicks. The Nike reverse swoosh running pack retails from $145-$190 and is available for purchase now at Nike’s webstore and select retailers. Find a selection of the styles below.
Shop the Reverse Swoosh Pack
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