The story begins with Lance Armstrong (former professional road racing cyclist) being diagnosed with testicular cancer and starting the Livestrong Foundation for providing support to cancer patients.
Nike designed the silicone Livestrong wristband in collaboration with creative agency Weiden+Kennedy for Lance Armstrong.
The products were minimally priced at just $1 to help raise funds for individuals suffering from cancer. The iconic wrist-band for cancer solidarity made 100 million dollars from sales with Lance Armstrong as a spokesperson for the Livestrong Foundation.
The year was 2004, and wrist-band fashion blew up. It crossed borders, religions, ideologies and all imagined barriers. People all over the world were sporting yellow wrist-bands, some not even knowing what they were showing solidarity for.
Until Lance Armstrong was found guilty of using illegal performance-enhancing drugs in 2012 and was stripped of all of his Tour De France titles (seven) and the bronze medal he had won at the Olympic Games in 2000, Sydney, Australia.
Nike cut all ties with the former professional road racing cyclist as well.
Which tarnished the reputation of the Livestrong Foundation and our beloved bracelets.
Lance Armstrong stepped down as the chairman of the Livestrong Foundation in 2012, and all products from the Livestrong line were discontinued the following year – including our beloved bracelets.
