Supreme x Nike SB Blazer Set To Make a Return

When Supreme and Nike collaborate, people pay attention. According to recent leaks, it appears that the cult streetwear brand’s take on the Nike Shox Ride 2 that was released last month was not the only sneaker collaboration we can expect to see this year. 

OG Nike Blazer Mid, 1972

Images have surfaced of an old favourite, this time in the form of the Nike SB Blazer. Originally released in 1972, the Blazer was originally made to be a basketball sneaker, marking Nike’s first foray into the sport, releasing in a high, mid and low variant each featuring details such as an oversized Swoosh, thick foam tongue and herringbone traction outsole. 

However, as time has passed, the sneaker has been widely been adopted by skaters, much like the Nike Dunk that released 13 years later. In the same fashion as the Nike Dunk, the Blazer went on to be reborn in 2005 under Nike’s then 3-year-old venture - ‘SB’, fronted by Sandy Bodecker, now known as the SB Blazer which featured a lighter, tougher, construction compared to its predecessor.

Lance Mountain x Nike SB Blazer Mid, 2005

For its initial rollout, Nike collaborated with pro skater and artist Lance Mountain, who still to this day claims the SB Blazer as his favourite skate shoe of all time. It was shortly after the SB Blazers debut, that Supreme got its first opportunity to release their take on the newly refreshed model. 

At the time they released, it had been two years since Supreme had worked with the Swoosh following their initial collaboration on the elephant print SB Dunk Lows in 2002, infamous star-studded SB Dunk Highs in 2003, followed by the release of their take on the Delta Force SB Mids in 2004. 

Since the Delta Force release, Supreme seemed to go on a brief hiatus when it came to collaborating with Nike, a move that in turn would make the release of the 2006 SB Blazer collaboration that much more special. 

Supreme x Nike SB Blazer Mid, 2006

Taking what had usually been a reasonably utilitarian sneaker, Supreme did what they did best at the time - make it luxe. Coming in three premium colourways: white, black and deep red, Supreme outfitted the sneaker with a quilted upper in conjunction with solid gold detailing on a half ring on the heel. Additionally, the leather oversized Swoosh usually found on the medial and lateral sides were uplifted with a faux snakeskin material and Gucci-esc check stripe down the back heel.

The idea of streetwear using high-fashion references was not a foreign one at the time, with fellow skate brand Diamond Supply releasing the ‘Diamond SB Dunk’ in 2005 which has since been coined the ‘Tiffany Dunk’ thanks to the bright blue colourway on the sneaker that replicates that of jewellery brand Tiffany. 

Following the widely popular release which saw some of the biggest names in various regions of the culture, including Kanye West, lacing up a pair, it took Supreme 10 years to revisit the silhouette, this time working on the SB Blazer Low GT (GT standing for ‘Grant Taylor’, a professional skateboarder who created a signature version of the SB Blazer) which released in 2016.

Supreme x Nike SB Blazer Low GT, 2016

Arriving in three separate colourways, including: teal, tan and pink, the offering this time took a far more toned-down approach with minimal detailing and clean colourways. While the Mids from a decade prior feature a variety of gold details and high-fashion-inspired features, the Lows simply showcased a small gold Supreme logo stampled on the lateral side of the heel in addition to ‘FTW’ on the heel tab and a box logo featured on the tongue. 

While we have moved forward a further 6 years since the release of the Supreme x Nike SB Blazer Low GT, Supreme appear to be looking back 16 years to revisit an old classic. 

Leaked image of the FW22 Supreme x Nike SB Blazer Mid. Image via @horhead_sales

Images have surfaced on Instagram of what is rumoured to be the FW22 offering between Nike and Supreme, a return of the SB Blazer Mid from 2006, along with rumours that we will be seeing ACG clothing in the mix.

At the time of writing, we have only seen images of one pair appearing in a black colourway once again featuring a faux snakeskin Swoosh with a gold striped finish. Around the rest of the sneaker, we can see much of the same details initially debuted with the original release including a gold tag on the heel placed at the top of a check stripe down the back (this time in a more monochromatic finish) in addition to gold detailing on the tongue and lace aglets. 

While some may be glad to see a return to what many call the ‘golden era’ of sneakers and streetwear, others would prefer to leave the patent leather SB Blazers back in the past as they have almost become synonymous with the time, as if they shouldn't be disturbed. 

Whatever your take on the rumoured return of the Supreme x Nike SB Blazer Mid, make sure to stay tuned in with Kick Game to receive the latest updates on the release.