FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE / MARCH 2011

“Nike Sportswear presents its most sweltering Liberty Collection in time for the summer”

On 1st April Nike Sportswear will launch its largest ever Liberty Collection bringing together more iconic styles from their 39-year sporting heritage and fusing them with the timeless elegance of Liberty’s irresistible fabrics.

With previous incarnations being released in the spring of 2008 the original Liberty Dunks (and Blazers that followed in 2009) were an immediate hit across the world; but very limited numbers meant that many people missed the opportunity to own a pair of these exclusive and highly sought-after kicks.

This time though, to encourage a summer of love, the twelve-pair collection consists of five models and is the most dynamic and accessible yet. The often vibrant colour palettes, outlandish geometrics and infamous florals present in Liberty’s prints juxtapose perfectly with the clean design lines of the Nike Blazer (Mid and Low versions), Skinny Dunk Hi Premium and Air Force One. The ensemble also introduces a brand new silhouette to the world in the form of the Moc Chukka Sandal; a style completely exclusive to Liberty London that will be kept under wraps until the launch day.

As for the fabrics, the Liberty archive contains over 43,000 unique prints providing Nike’s designers with an almost unlimited amount of inspiration to compliment the range. Tatum is a classic ditsy micro-floral print. Umbel takes its references from flora but has the feel of an intricately carved wood block. Prints with interesting geometrics and unusual motifs have also been used. Tom’s Jets is a detailed conversational print comprising 1940s wartime planes and a pilot called Tom. Ebs is a graphic tie chevron stripe in a gorgeous, rich pastel palette and Kara’s Trees has an impressionist-style tornado of pointillist leaves, creating a patterned, almost textile-like landscape.

The entire collection will be exclusive to Liberty London from 1st April, with select styles hitting Office stores nationwide and independent global retailers from 1st May.

Prices: Womens dunk high skinny - 170 CHF Blazer Mid - 150 CHF

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The Blazer The first Nike Blazer was a pioneering shoe. Released in 1973, it took its name from the Portland Trail Blazers and as Nike’s first hoop shoe, it proved worthy of its name. A welcomed departure from its more clunky counterparts of the time, the Nike Blazer offered several features designed to improve performance basketball footwear for the game: fine grain leather, outsoles that offered greater traction, extra support, less weight. It wasn’t long before the simple white hi-tops with the elongated design became de rigeur on and off the court, leading the way for Nike’s dominance as a basketball brand.

The Air Force 1 The legendary AF1, born in 1982 when Bruce Kilgore introduced Nike Air to the game of basketball, is a classic hoop shoe and has gone on to become one of Nike’s most legendary products. It is the clean, timeless design that has created the devotees who have pined for the thousands of different customisations of the AF1. It has been called “the sneakerhead’s sneaker” - the first and last word in basketball shoes. With a history that transcends culture, moving from the hardwood courts to asphalt playgrounds around the world, the integrity of the king stays solid through every enhancement.

The Dunk First released in 1985, the Nike Dunk has crossed boundaries probably more than any other Nike product. It is a basketball shoe a skate shoe, a BMX shoe, a vintage shoe, a piece of history, a work of art and a style icon. 1985 was a time when culture and sport crossed genres with an intensity never before witnessed and a new age of self-expression was born. Representing this movement was the Nike Dunk. It turned teams into tribes, individuals into movements, and the definition of a basketball shoe on its head.

Editor’s notes: [About Nike Sportswear] Nike Sportswear is rooted in the company’s passion for sport. Based on an ethos of remixing Nike’s icons, it applies the latest performance technology to daily life. With almost four decades of sport history at its foundation, Nike Sportswear channels the rebel spirit of Nike’s roots by crafting products that challenge the expected and push athletic innovation to its extreme. Nike Sportswear Creative Director Richard Clarke describes this interplay as an endless remix that never loses sight of Nike’s mission to innovate: “We go back in time to revisit some of Nike’s best products,” Clarke says, “But we always keep one foot firmly at the forefront of technology and innovation to maintain performance for our athletes.” www.nikesportswear.com and for media www.nikesportswearmedia.com

[About Nike] NIKE, Inc. based near Beaverton, Oregon, is the world's leading designer, marketer and distributor of authentic athletic footwear, apparel, equipment and accessories for a wide variety of sports and fitness activities. Wholly owned Nike subsidiaries include Inc., which designs, markets and distributes athletic footwear, apparel and accessories; , which designs, markets and distributes luxury shoes, handbags, accessories and coats; and LLC, which designs, markets and distributes action sports and youth lifestyle footwear, apparel and accessories. For more information, www.nikebiz.com

[About Liberty Art Fabrics] The historic and much loved Liberty store first opened its doors in May 1875 solely selling hand-woven Mysore silk imported from India, which was dyed in England and then hand-printed with wooden blocks. These silks attracted the attention of artists and designers such as William Morris, Alma Tadema, Burne-Jones and Rossetti. Since then, Liberty Art Fabrics has been producing original fabric designs and has collaborated with a plethora of renowned designers and artists from across the globe including Hermes, Manolo Blahnik and Chanel. The Liberty fabric archive now contains over 43,000 prints with over a 100 new designs added each season. For more information, www.liberty.co.uk