Travis Scott's Extremely Lucrative Partnership with Nike and Jordan Brand

Travis Scott's Lucrative Partnership with Nike and Jordan

Over the past few years, rapper and producer Travis Scott has emerged as one of the most influential figures in sneaker culture. His ongoing collaborations with Nike and Jordan Brand have resulted in some of the most coveted footwear drops of the last decade.

Travis Scott first partnered with Nike and Jordan Brand in 2015, beginning with an Air Jordan collaboration on the Air Jordan 4 "Cactus Jack" model. Since then, Travis has worked with Nike and Jordan Brand on over a dozen sneaker releases and apparel capsules, including popular models like the Air Jordan 1, Air Force 1, and SB Dunk.

The Travis Scott x Air Jordan 1 Collaborations

One of Travis Scott's most iconic partnerships with Jordan Brand has been through multiple editions of the classic Air Jordan 1 silhouette. These include:

• Air Jordan 1 Retro High OG "Cactus Jack" (May 2018) - The first Travis Scott x Air Jordan 1 featured a white, black, and red color scheme with backwards Nike Swoosh logos.
• Air Jordan 1 Retro High OG "Cactus Jack" (May 2019) - The second iteration was a mocha-colored suede version with red accents.
• Air Jordan 1 Retro High OG "Cactus Jack" (February 2020) - A limited release brown and black pair with reverse Swoosh logos.
• Air Jordan 1 Retro High OG "Mocha" (December 2020) - Tan suede and white leather neutral tones made this a more wearable colorway.
• Air Jordan 1 Low OG "Reverse Mocha" (April 2021) - Flipped the "Mocha" color blocking to a brown and white low-top model.
• Air Jordan 1 Low OG "Fragment" (July 2021) - Designed with streetwear label Fragment, featured a crisp black, white, and royal blue palette.

The Travis Scott Air Jordan 1 collabs have proved immensely popular at retail and on the resale market, with resell prices reaching into the thousands.

Travis Scott's Partnership with Nike SB

Beyond Jordan Brand, Travis Scott hasalso collaborated with Nike's skateboarding division, Nike SB, on some of the most coveted Dunk releases in recent memory.

Key Nike SB x Travis Scott releases include:

• SB Dunk Low "Cactus Jack" (February 2020) - The first Travis Scott SB Dunk featured a light blue denim upper with white laces and red accents.
• SB Dunk Low "Cactus Trails" (October 2020) - This pair had an earth tone-inspired brown, cream, and olive colorway.

Both of the Nike SB x Travis Scott Dunks set new standards for hype around SB Dunk releases. The shoes sold out instantly and fetched astronomical resale prices, demonstrating Travis Scott's unmatched influence within street and skate culture.

Travis Scott's Lucrative Nike & Jordan Deal

Although the exact details of Travis Scott's business relationship with Nike and Jordan Brand remain private, it has clearly proven hugely lucrative for the rap superstar. According to Forbes, Travis Scott earned $10 million in 2020 from his Nike partnership alone.

Industry estimates suggest Travis may earn between $5-10 million per Jordan Brand collaboration. For major releases like his Air Jordan 1s, Travis likely takes home double digit millions in royalties.

Aside from sneakers, Travis Scott has also collaborated with Nike and Jordan Brand on successful apparel capsules. His Air Jordan merchandise is regularly the hottest selling artist-brand apparel behind Kanye's Yeezy line.

For Nike and Jordan, partnering with Travis gives them a direct line to younger sneakerheads who view him as an icon. The brands leverage Travis' hype and influence to drive interest and sales.

As Travis Scott continues dropping new sneakers and apparel with Nike and Jordan, all signs point to the partnership remaining highly lucrative for both parties.

The Cultural Impact of Travis Scott's Nike Collabs

Beyond just being big money-makers, Travis Scott's Nike and Jordan collaborations have had an undeniable cultural impact in shaping sneaker culture over recent years.

Making the Air Jordan 1 Relevant Again

After a long period of waning interest, Travis Scott's Air Jordan 1 partnerships helped make the classic model relevant again with a younger generation.

The rapper's unique reverse Swoosh and coveted colorways revitalized interest in Jordan 1s in a huge way. Now Jordan 1 releases from both the main line and collaborators are among the most anticipated drops each year.

Bringing the Spotlight Back to Nike SB

Similarly, Travis Scott's Dunks with Nike SB sparked a resurgence for the entire skateboarding line. For years, SB Dunks were readily available at retail with minimal hype.

But the instant success of Travis' SB collabs showed the immense demand that still existed for Dunks. As a result, Nike SB now releases Dunks in much more limited runs, turning them into some of the most sought after drops.

Influencing Sneaker Culture Trends

Travis Scott's boundary-pushing designs and creative vision have greatly influenced wider sneaker culture. Trends like bold colors, textured materials, oversized logos, and unusual detailing can often be traced back to recent Travis Scott releases.

As one of the faces of contemporary sneaker culture, Travis' experimental approach has shaped many emerging design styles and themes.

Rallying a Diverse Fanbase

Unlike many celebrity collaborators, Travis Scott has a strongly multi-cultural fanbase that bridges different demographics. His footwear drops are eagerly anticipated across geographic regions, age groups, and backgrounds.

The shared excitement around Travis Scott sneaker releases has helped unite a passionate, yet remarkably diverse community of fans within the larger sneaker culture.

The Future of Travis Scott's Partnership with Nike

By all indications, Travis Scott still has a long and prosperous partnership ahead of him with Nike and Jordan Brand.

In 2021, Travis Scott officially became a Strategic Advisor for Innovation Design at Jordan Brand. This new long-term role will see Travis deeply involved in the creative vision and future product direction of the brand.

Travis also still has more fan-favorite silhouettes left to put his stamp on, like the Air Jordan 4, Air Jordan 11, and Air Force 1. Expect him to deliver more surprise hits through 2022 and beyond.

As Travis Scott continues his unparalleled run with Nike and Jordan, one thing is certain - millions of eager fans worldwide will be ready and waiting for whatever he has in store next.

FAQs

How did Travis Scott start collaborating with Nike and Jordan?

Travis Scott's first collaboration was the Air Jordan 4 "Cactus Jack" in 2015. Since then he has worked with Nike and Jordan Brand on over a dozen sneaker releases.

Which Travis Scott shoes resell for the highest prices?

The Travis Scott x Fragment x Air Jordan 1 Low and the SB Dunk Low "Cactus Jack" resell for over $2,000 on average. The Air Jordan 1 collabs also resell for well over $1,000 in many colorways.

What makes Travis Scott's shoes so popular?

Unique designs, coveted colorways, and Travis' influence within streetwear/skate culture create huge demand for his shoes. Supply is also kept limited which boosts hype.

How much does Travis Scott make from his Nike deals?

Estimates suggest Travis earns $5-10 million per Jordan release, and earned over $10 million total from Nike in 2020. The deals are hugely lucrative for the rapper.

Will Travis Scott collaborate with Nike again in the future?

Definitely. In 2021 Travis became a Strategic Advisor for Jordan Brand, signaling a long future partnership. Fans can expect new Travis Scott x Air Jordan and Nike SB releases for years to come.