Breaking Is Making a Stylish Olympic Debut
On August 9, history is going to be made. At the Paris 2024 Summer Olympic Games, breaking will make its debut as an Olympic sport, and Nike (together with the legendary street artist Futura) is ensuring it makes a stylish entrance.
Breakdancing was invented in The Bronx so it’s only right that its Olympic debut includes clothing designed by someone with strong links to the New York Borough. And Nike has chosen Futura as that person.
The contemporary artist and longtime Nike collaborator first got recognition as a graffiti artist, part of a subculture that centered around The Bronx, and has honored one of his most famous pieces of graffiti in the collection: Break Train (1980).
Elements from Break Train, a piece that covered an entire train cart and was the subject of an iconic photo by Martha Cooper, make their way onto the breaking federation kits for the United States, Korea, and Japan.
Elsewhere on the pieces, you can find paint splatter detailing inspired by Futura’s studio floor and the artist’s signature atom iconography and characters.
“I’m excited for the athletes who are going to rock this stuff,” says Futura in a statement. “We’re pushing the boundary of what’s possible from a manufacturing and design point of view, and everyone at Nike has been at the tip of the spear to make the collection as good as it can be. I know we’re all proud of what we’ve done, but ultimately, we’re doing this for the athletes.”
Following the release of Nike's debut breakdancing shoe, the culmination of six years of Nike innovation, the breakdancing federation kits will be released on August 1 via Nike's website.
Between its breakdancing collection and a stellar skateboarding drop, Nike is giving newly added Olympic sports the stylish gear they deserve.
