Leo Baker Is The Latest Nike SB Signature Athlete To Receive Their Own Signature Shoe

2023-06-12

A champion of both inclusivity within the sport and for the LGBTQIA+ community, Leo Baker has become one of the most polarizing forces within the skating ecosystem. Commanding their narrative as stoically as their movements on the board, the New York native now joins the new wave of signature Nike SB riders alongside Nyjah Hutson and Ishod Wair.

Set to release this Fall, Nike SB has unveiled the React Leo as the banner’s latest signature tooling. For their inaugural silhouette, Baker looked to their favorite Swoosh silhouette for inspiration, the Nike SB Bruin High. A silhouette he’s more than familiar with following its inclusion in his 2020 Nike SB capsule collection, the Bruin is mimicked via the React Leo’s risen build in tandem with a few contemporary updates.

While a suede-treated shroud consumes the quarter, heel counter and expansive mudguard, the pair’s underlays boast further diversity with an Air Force 1-reminiscent ventilated vamp and canvas mid-foot panel. Underfoot, a vulcanized cupsole borrows the staple tread of the Blazer whereas the introductory palette makes the React-cushioned silhouette all its own.

Crisp white hues envelop the richly textured base layer, tongue construction and laces while accented by the “Sail” suede overlays. The inclusion of copper eye stays adds premium hits alongside the tumbled leather mid-foot Swoosh and simplistic Leo Baker tongue tab. Elsewhere, the first colorway cleans up with monochrome flair as pitch-dark clarifying hits of black line the overlays, tongue, heel tab and tread underfoot.

Forward from:https://sneakernews.com/2023/06/10/nike-sb-react-leo-baker-dx4361-100/