This collaboration between Nike and designer Virgil Abloh is an example of historical typography being used in a contemporary design. Nike and Abloh, who is well-known for his streetwear brand Off-White, collaborated to produce a line of sneakers for the “The Ten” collection.

Abloh used historical typographic characteristics in this collaboration to design multiple sneakers, including the Nike Air Jordan 1. Instead of the typical Nike branding, Abloh reimagined the design with his signature style, featuring bold Helvetica text printed on the shoe’s medial side.  Phrases like “AIR” and “SHOELACES” are used in the text behind quote marks, giving the design a lighthearted and introspective feel.