uk666 5,298 Report post Posted March 9, 2019 Michael Jordan Michael Jordan by Jacobus "Co" Willem Rentmeester for LIFE in 1984 It may be the most famous silhouette ever photographed. Shooting Michael Jordan for LIFE in 1984, Jacobus "Co" Willem Rentmeester captured the basketball star soaring through the air for a dunk, legs split like a ballet dancer’s and left arm stretched to the stars. A beautiful image, but one unlikely to have endured had Nike not devised a logo for its young star that bore a striking resemblance to the photo. Seeking design inspiration for its first Air Jordan sneakers, Nike paid Rentmeester $150 for temporary use of his slides from the life shoot. Soon, “Jumpman” was etched onto shoes, clothing, and bedroom walls around the world, eventually becoming one of the most popular commercial icons of all time. With Jumpman, Nike created the concept of athletes as valuable commercial properties unto themselves. The Air Jordan brand, which today features other superstar pitchmen, earned $3.2 billion in 2014. Rentmeester, sued Nike for copyright infringement. 2018, in a 2-1 decision, the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals said Jacobus Rentmeester did not show that Nike misappropriated his 1984 photo of Jordan, which had been used in a Life magazine feature on that year’s Summer Olympics in Los Angeles. The Jordan brand now generates $3.1 billion of annual revenue for Nike, which is based in Beaverton, Oregon. Rentmeester’s photo depicted Jordan, then a student at the University of North Carolina, airborne in a grassy knoll featuring a basketball hoop as a prop, with his left arm extended upward and a basketball in hand. 2 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
