This past Friday, Nike cordially invited Kicks on Fire to be a part of a dope exclusive lunch with renowned tattoo/graffiti artist Mister Cartoon. With less than a 24 hour notice, it’s safe to say that this invite was a pleasant and unexpected surprise.
The two-part event started off with an intimate lunch that took place at Guelaguetza, a 20+ year old family eatery that recently received a James Beard award. The main topic of discussion was the Nike Cortez. As most of you know, Nike’s first runner (Cortez) is currently celebrating its 45th anniversary, and what better place to have this lunch than in the city that embraces the classic Nike model like no other, Los Angeles. Cortez and the West Coast go hand in hand like arroz con pollo peanut butter and jelly, and having Mr. Cartoon spearhead the discussion was a an ideal match.
While indulging in Mexican delicacies such as chips and guacamole, taquitos, mole, quesillo fundido and even a delicious michelada, Mr. Cartoon discussed how much of an impact the Nike Cortez has had on himself and the entire West Coast. I was born in East Los Angeles and raised in Pomona, so when Mr. Cartoon stresses the importance the Nike Cortez has had in the latin community and the West Coast as a whole, I can concur without hesitation. At one point, it was virtually impossible to walk around L.A. and not find at least a handful of people wearing a pair of Cortez. The shoe was accepted and embraced by everyone. Style, casual or sport, whatever the need was, the Nike Cortez was able to fit the bill.
Now in 2017 during the model’s 45h anniversary, Nike thought it was a good idea to place the spotlight once more on the Nike Cortez and simply remind everyone that after all these years the Cortez remains a true icon full of culture, history, respect and style.
As a cherry on top, Mr. Cartoon and Nike gifted us and everyone else in attendance with a fresh new pair of the Nike Cortez. I lucked out and got the pair I wanted, the classic Nike Cortez OG. Soon thereafter, we were all given a chance to take some sweet pics with Mr. Cartoon’s lowriders while rocking our fresh new kicks.
The second part of the event had Nike take us to Delicious Pizza for an exclusive pop-up party. Dope music, tasty drinks and delicious food were all provided. It’s safe to say everyone in attendance had a memorable Friday night.
We’re living in an era where it seems like a brand new sneaker debuts every week. With that being the case, at times it becomes easy to overlook some of the true classics of the game. Nike reminded us that no matter how many years go by and how many sneakers release, iconic sneakers such as the Cortez will never die, especially in Los Angeles. Thanks for having us Nike, I’m already looking forward to the next event.
words: Juanofakind
images: Ja Tecson
The post KoF Field Trip: Nike Sportswear Treated Us To Lunch With Mr. Cartoon To Talk The Nike Cortez, Whips & Los Angeles Culture appeared first on KicksOnFire.com.
