From Dennis Rodman to Travis Scott: A History of Nike's Backwards Swoosh

From Dennis Rodman wearing the Nike Air Darwin in 1994 to Travis Scott creating his own Air Jordans in 2019, here's a history of the backwards Swoosh.

Backwards Swoosh
Complex Original

Image via Complex Original

Backwards Swoosh

The Nike Swoosh is not only the most recognizable logo in the sportswear industry, but also maybe in the world. The story goes that it was designed by Portland State student Carolyn Davidson for a mere $35 in 1971. Since then, Nike has done everything imaginable to the Swoosh. It’s been made with a fat belly, made it mini, made it out of a jewel casing, put it on the soles, removed it from sneakers, and even put multiple Swooshes on sneakers. It’s also been made backwards.

Most noticeably, Travis Scott did this to his Air Jordan 1 collaboration in 2019. But he’s not the first person to do this to a Nike sneaker. UFC fighter-turned-comedian Brendan Schaub said on his podcast last week: “Here's another thing for you fucking kids who don't know kicks, if you thought Travis Scott was the first guy to put a Swoosh backwards on a shoe. You don't know shit. Dennis Rodman was the first to do it."

With that in mind, we wanted to go back in time and track down the most notable Nike sneakers ever to don a backwards Swoosh and chart the progression from Denns Rodman to Travis Scott.

(This isn't an extensive history of every single shoe to ever have a backwards Swoosh, sorry, some of them aren't worth writing about.)

Nike Air Darwin

Nike Air Darwin

Nike Air Flare

Nike Air Flare

Nike Air Yoke

Nike Air Yoke

Nike Air Ndestrukt

Nike Ndestrukt

Nike LeBron X

Nike LeBron 10 'Crown Jewel'

Nike Air Max 2015

Nike Air Max 2015

Nike PG 2

Nike PG2 “Playstation”

Nike Kobe AD NXT

Nike Kobe AD NXT

Nike Zoom Freak 1

Nike Zoom Freak 1 BQ5422 004

Travis Scott x Air Jordan 1

Travis Scott x Air Jordan 1