Just over a week after Nike announced the return of Elliott Hill, who will replace John Donahoe, another legendary figure in the footwear industry is headed back to the Swoosh: Frank Cooke.
For those unfamiliar with Cooke, he was instrumental in creating some of the most memorable and coveted collaborations of the 2010s with Jordan Brand under the NRG team. Some projects he had his hands on include the Air Jordan 1 Not For Resale, Nigel Sylvester x Air Jordan 1, Virgil Abloh’s The Ten, Travis Scott’s Air Jordan 4, and much much more. Before this, he worked as a buyer for Wish ATL, then moved to the NRG team in 2015. However, in 2018, Frank left The Swoosh to work as the Creative Director for Shoe Palace.
In an Instagram story post, Cooke announced his return with a photo of his Nike ID, stating, “I’m going to attempt to restore the feeling, be considerate of the current state of the industry and have a whole lot of fun while doing it.” Today, many in the sneaker community feel that Nike (and the sneaker industry in general) lacks innovation and storytelling. Releases have been sitting across the board, and collaborations don’t hit the same for die-hard sneakerheads and resellers.
With Frank Cooke's return to Nike, there's a renewed sense of anticipation among sneakerheads, hoping for a revitalization of the creativity and storytelling that made Nike collaborations legendary. As Cooke sets out to "restore the feeling" in a sneaker industry craving innovation, fans are eager to see how his influence will shape the next wave of releases. If his past work is any indication, Nike could be gearing up for a new golden era of unforgettable designs and sought-after drops.
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Sneakerhead from South Florida who turned his passion into a career. Concerts, music, trying new restaurants, and catching the latest movies are some of the things I enjoy when not writing for Sole Retriever. Email: nick@soleretriever.com
