Earlier this month, Drake and Nike officially announced a new collaboration, in the form of a sub-label, titled NOCTA. The news comes just a month after the launch of the sold-out Drake x Nike Certified Lover Boy collection.
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“I remember watching all these athletes repping Nike — each doing the unthinkable — and how inspiring it was. I always felt like there was an opportunity for Nike to embrace an entertainer the same way they had athletes. I thought about how crazy it would have been and what it would have meant for an artist to have a flagship Nike deal,” Drake said of the thought process behind his collaboration with Nike. “NOCTA is a realization of all these thoughts and everything I had hoped for — from the culture it’s rooted in to the product and, most important, to the partnership and scale that allows me to share it with the world.”
The debut NOCTA collection features sleek tonal hoodies and sweat sets, as well as puffer jackets in hues of Nike Black and University Gold and crew socks in black and white.
The offering seems to align with Drake’s designed design DNA. “NOCTA is about creating something for people on the move,” the rapper commented in a statement. “People who want functional, comfortable fits that are adaptable from one environment to the next.”
Drake undeniably prefers swooshes to stripes; the Canadian rapper initially signed on to Jordan Brand in 2013, working on collabs like Air Jordan 10s and Air Jordan 12s. In 2018, he was rumoured to be in talks with adidas, however a potential deal was shot down due to a feud with longtime adidas collaborator Pusha-T. Since then, Drake has often been spotted sporting Nike gear.
Launched in 2013, YEEZY by adidas and Kanye West has risen to the top of the streetwear stakes, becoming one of the most recognisable brands in fashion. So, it’s only natural that primary competitor Nike would want to challenge their title.
Words by John Deckard
