What’s the Windrunner you ask? No, it’s not the feathered friend who’s always being chased by a coyote, because you’ve gotten it mixed up with Looney Tunes’ Road Runner.

The answer lies in a man who goes by the name of Geoff Hollister who pursued an art major at the University of Oregon. Having been a runner for legendary track coach Bill Bowerman, it seemed only natural that he took over over Steve “Pre” Prefontaine’s unofficial role as Nike’s athlete relations representative after Pre’s untimely death in 1975. The tenure positioned the athlete with artistic inclinations as both apparel designer and athlete liaison.

Recalling a study of the Pacific Coast Native Americans back in school, Hollister remembered being impressed by the images of the woven cedar-bark capes that Native Americans wore during the soggy winters to shield them from the harsh weather conditions.

Hollister drew inspiration from this to split the material of his new nylon jacket on the horizontal plane of the wearer’s shoulders; the 2 sides met in a distinctive 26° point on the chest.

With a myriad of colours adorning the jacket, the 26° chevron effectively created a “superhero” look for whoever wore it. The piece of garment quickly gained favour with serious runners and in 1980, the 26° chevron assumed its place in history as the first piece of Nike apparel to be worn by athletes at the U.S. Track & Field Trials in Eugene, Oregon.

Truly a case study of form following function, the Windrunner design has endured for over 25 years. Now, the launch of the new Windrunner jackets are brought to you in Nike stores islandwide so go ahead and pick out your superhero outfit!

UrbanWire brings you the new collection of Nike Windrunner series to the comfort of your home!