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Nike Looks To China For Their Latest Designs

The latest battle for sneaker supremacy seems to be what brand can effectively nail what a “Chinese” design would entail. According to The Wall Street Journal, Nike and adidas are focused on creating footwear and apparel with Chinese design cues that will hopefully take-off, during the Beijing Olympic Games in August.
The swoosh first showed hints of their movement toward eastern-influence when they released the uber-limited Jordan 1 XQ pack (pictured), a collection of sneakers that featured dragon-inspired designs and dropped exclusively in China. In October, Nike also did a special make-up on the Lebron V that featured laser-etched cues personifying Beijing’s “Forbidden City.” In addition to the recently released footwear, Nike also has launched a line of sportswear carrying a Chinese slogan that translates to “arise and advance,”— a phrase included in China’s national anthem. So far it seems, Nike’s one-upping the three-stripes in quantity, but look for adidas to push hard on Chinese-heavy apparel as the Olympics draws closer. Click the thumbnails after the jump to see some close-up shots of the recent China-inspired kicks.