Nike, Class Trip and the University of Oregon introduce the Grateful Ducks collection, a collaboration that connects music, sport, and counterculture. The project celebrates nearly sixty years of connection between the Grateful Dead and Eugene, the birthplace of Nike and home of the University of Oregon. Through apparel and footwear, the collaboration tells a story of shared heritage and influence across generations.
The centerpiece of the release is the Nike Air Max 90 x Class Trip x Grateful Dead. This edition pays tribute to the band’s 1990 performances at Autzen Stadium, translating their presence into the details of an iconic silhouette once worn by Jerry Garcia. Shades of green and yellow reference Oregon’s landscape, while tie-dye accents evoke the Grateful Dead’s visual language. Lightning-bolt Swooshes, co-branded tongue tags, and custom sock liners reflect the connection between art, sport, and sound that defines the collection.
The broader offering features varsity and bomber jackets, sweatpants, hoodies, T-shirts, and headwear. The designs reinterpret collegiate style with a psychedelic edge, linking the university’s legacy with the band’s impact on music and visual art.
University officials have announced that fans will debut the collection during the first “Tie-Dye Out” on October 25, when the Oregon Ducks face the University of Wisconsin. Autzen Stadium will turn into a sea of color, uniting players and fans through shared imagery. The team’s uniforms will carry tie-dye patterns and a reinterpretation of the Grateful Dead’s Steal Your Face logo, now featuring a Duck and a lightning-bolt Swoosh across each shoulder.
The collaboration traces its roots to 1965, when writer and Merry Pranksters leader Ken Kesey returned to Oregon from San Francisco, bringing the energy of the psychedelic movement to his hometown. The Grateful Dead performed their first concert at the University of Oregon’s EMU Ballroom in 1968, beginning a relationship that grew over decades. Archivist David Lemieux once described the university as the band’s “home away from home,” reflecting the closeness between the community and the musicians.
That connection deepened in 1972, when the band performed a benefit concert for the Kesey family’s Springfield Creamery, saving the business and creating one of rock’s most memorable live recordings. Across more than twenty shows in Eugene, including ten at Autzen Stadium, the Grateful Dead helped shape the city’s reputation as a place where creativity, art, and athleticism intersect.
The Nike x Class Trip x Grateful Dead x University of Oregon Grateful Ducks collection launched on October 21 through the Grateful Dead’s official site, continues today on October 23 through Class Trip’s website, and will be available from October 24 on Nike’s website, SNKRS, Fanatics, and select retailers across the United States.
