If you purchase an independently reviewed product or service through a link on our website, WWD may receive an affiliate commission.

Every month, there’s a new drop of fresh Nike shoe arrivals — including not-to-miss Air Jordan releases — to get excited about. Just in time for summer, the Swoosh brand just gave us another reason to shop with the release of the Nike Cortez shoe in a vibrant new neon “Hyper Pink” hue that’s right on-trend this season to pair with all your summer staples.

It’s safe to say that pink will never be ousted from the sartorial vocabularies of today’s most style-savvy dressers. Following 2024’s Barbiecore fatigue and the rise of ballet-inspired fashions (including the “sneakerina”), powdery pastel pinks have dominated the spring 2025 designer runway collections (from Alaïa to Brandon Maxwell) and street style. Now, as spotted on the pre-fall and fall 2025 runway collectionss, neon hues are back in fashion with a nod to an ’80s trend resurgence, including pops of bright, bold pink.

One of the most standout moments of Balenciaga‘s pre-fall 2025 show, for example, was a pop of hot pink on a model’s futuristic-looking, over-the-knee booties. And this wasn’t just a one-off experiment of sorts masterminded by a single designer, either. During the fall 2025 fashion collection shows, storied fashion houses like Saint Laurent and Valentino all proved that muted tones for autumn are tired and fashion lovers are ready to get Technicolor wired with exciting color play in their wardrobes.

One of this neon trend’s most fun outcomes is currently seen in the world of footwear. If you don’t feel particularly inclined to overhaul your all-black uniform, a touch of invigorating neon color on your sneakers could be all it takes to refresh your look — which is why the new neon pink Nike Cortez should be your next sneaker purchase. Sure, this latest drop is trend-adherent, but the Cortez itself is a classic in American culture — making it a timeless investment, too.

Launched in the ’60s as the creative brainchild of Nike’s co-founder Bill Bowerman, the all-American Cortez was the first running shoe to combine a full-length midsole with a sponge rubber layer below the upper — making the sneaker absolutely revolutionary in regards to cushioning. In short order, it became Nike’s top running shoe and set the industry standard for proper shock absorption. The Cortez’s traction, via a herringbone pattern on the outsole, was also something to write home about, and the icon was able to keep all of these attributes (even improving them based on customer feedback) as it evolved from a technical shoe to one of the most popular lifestyle kicks on the market. Nowadays, you can see the Cortez on almost every street. Millions of styling videos and views under the #nikecortez hashtag on TikTok; celebrity placements on the feet of everyone from Kristen Stewart and Bella Hadid to Emily Ratajkowski and Dakota Johnson; and a 51-percent rise in search last year, as reported by Lyst, are all signs that the under-$100 Cortez isn’t going anywhere. In fact, the sneaker is hotter than it ever has been.