Tennis pro, Maria Sharapova, although of Russian decent, calls Los Angeles home these days. Manhattan Beach, to be exact. It’s a place she loves and pulls inspiration from, often idolizing its eye for style and wanting to create things of her own that embodied “LA’s high style.” Sharapova does so with her Nike LA Cortez, which both matches her unique style and emboldens the shoe’s already intrinsic connection with the city.
Originally released back in 1972, the Cortez has always been synonymous with Los Angeles street culture. Sharapova takes that heritage and links it with her own, styling the shoe in laid-back earth tones that ode West Coast sunrises. She also grew up with a love for calligraphy, which is smartly seen through the shoe’s refined design lines.
“I love how it’s minimal and understated in certain ways, yet there’s so much attention to detail with the finishes, materials and even color,” says Sharapova. “I was inspired by my morning walks along the coast on my way to practice, and I think we captured that peaceful essence in this shoe.”
Maria Sharapova’s Nike LA Cortez is set to release on March 1 at Nordstrom x Nike Sneaker Boutiques and on nordstrom.com, followed by a wider release on March 2 on SNKRS, nike.com and at Nike The Grove and Nike Santa Monica.
