Founded in 1964 as Blue Ribbon Sports, Oregon coach Bill Bowerman and track athlete Phil Knight initially operated as a distributor for Japan’s Onitsuka Tiger, which is known today as Asics. After a name change to Nike in 1971, Bowerman began creating original running shoes. And with help of his wife’s waffle iron to mold the grooved sole, Nike’s first sneaker, the Waffle Trainer was born. Nike quickly rose to become the leader in the sportswear industry and one of the most recognizable brands in the world. Olympic and world class athletes sport Nike sneakers, including Michael Jordan, who has his own Jordan brand within the company. Classic styles such as the Air Force 1, Air Max 1, Blazer, Pegasus and Cortez have molded streetwear trends throughout the years and continue to inspire footwear design today.