Peter Moore, one of the most revolutionary and iconic sneaker designers in our industry, has passed away. The industry still has not recovered from the loss of Virgil Abloh back in November of 2021. And so, the loss of yet another one of the greats is another hit to the entire sneaker culture!
On a Friday evening last April 29th, 2022; Peter passed away in Portland, Ore at 78 years old without specific causes. His wife, Christina Moore, noted that he had Parkinson’s disease and MĂ©nière’s disease. But, they haven’t disclosed the actual cause of death.
Moore is the man responsible for restructuring the future for both Nike and even Adidas – a truly legendary figure! He has worked alongside some of the most epic GOATs of the game including Michael Jordan. He worked to revolutionize sneaker culture back in the 80s when he first started working with Nike. To give you a little more context, he designed the Air Jordan 1…Â
And so, the only thing we could do now recalls his amazing journey down the path of sneaker design.
WHO IS PETER MOORE?
Peter Moore was part of the Nike executives that worked with Michael Jordan when he was drafted by Nike. This led to Moore’s signature creation of all time – the Air Jordan 1 – in 1984. This was the basketball sneaker to set the path for all upcoming basketball sneakers in the world! And, it was also the kickstarter of the long line of Air Jordan history.
He is also the person behind the iconic Jumpman logo AND the Mountain Stripes logo for Adidas!
This makes him one of the most influential people in the industry leaving a true legacy behind.
The Backstory
Peter Colin Moore – creative director at Nike and Adidas -was born on February 21st, 1944 in Cleveland. In 1969, he graduated from Chouinard Art Institute in Los Angeles with a Bachelor’s degree in graphic design. Later on, in 1972, he moved to Portland where he spent a year as creative director of the Georgia-Pacific. But, that wasn’t his calling – thankfully! He then opened a design studio only to become creative director at Nike in 1983!
Then, after around four years with Nike, Peter Moore and Rob Strasser both left Nike to launch their own business. They created their consulting business – Sports Inc. – and worked with Adidas! Later on, in 1993, Adidas acquired this company and renamed it Adidas America. Moore later became president of the company in 1993 after the untimely passing of Mr. Strasser.Â
BUT, in 1995, he stepped back down and returned to being a creative director instead. And, three years later, he left Adidas to form the What’a Ya Think Inc. Finally, he retired in 1998 but continued to work and remained a sneaker consultant for many years.
Greatest Achievements
Some of the greatest Peter Moore achievements include:
– Creating and designing the Air Jordan 1 debuted in 1985
– Designed the Nike Dunk in 1985 as well
– Co-designing the Jordan Brand’s logo and original Wings logo
– Launched the Adidas EQT line
– Created the mountain, slanted stripes logo for Adidas
– He signed Dikembe Mutombo to a sneaker deal with Adidas
Brands’ Statements
“We are deeply saddened by the loss of Peter Moore, an iconic designer, whose legacy will forever be connected to Jordan Brand, and the sneaker culture he helped to create,” says Howard White, Jordan Brand Vice President.Â
D’Wayne Edwards, former Nike/Jordan designer and founder of Pensole, succinctly added “We lost an icon…”.
“The Adidas family is saddened by the passing of our dear friend Peter Moore,” Adidas said in a statement. “Our hearts are with Peter’s family, friends, and everyone who knew him. Peter was a true legend and icon in our industry, and it is impossible to overstate the impact he has had on Adidas. He will be greatly missed and his legacy will live on forever.”