Danny Jung created ACG Daily in 2019, an Instagram account with the intention of learning more about ACG, Nike’s outdoor line. Like the mountain trails themselves, it was the start of a journey that has led him to form a community of those who are passionate about the product and the trails.
Nike ACG’s philosophy is based on developing a gear that works in all conditions (hence the name). Its origins date back to the eighties, when some of the now considered historic Nike designers met on weekends to practice outdoor sports in Utah, a paradise for trekking, climbing and mountain biking. There were Tinker Hatfield (Air Max 1, Jordan III-XV) or Mark Parker, who became CEO of the brand.
ACG was born as an inside joke, like the sneakers that designers created to enjoy their free time, and that’s precisely where their freedom comes from.
But at ACG they soon discovered that you don’t have to cross states to get in touch with nature. We are always in contact with it, maybe it goes unnoticed in your daily walks but all you need is a weekly park visit, a well accompanied monthly walk and the hope of a great trip.
Danny Jung understood perfectly what’s behind ACG with ACG Daily. To get the most out of Nike ACG is to get the most out of nature. His Daily Hikes have become an activity in which a community discovers its passion for the outdoors and his friends have ended up being almost 140000 (who fortunately have not decided to walk the same paths together).
Their approach to ACG came through the product and has grown into a community that has literally and figuratively made its way back to the Nike design offices.
We sat down with Danny Jung to talk about ACG Daily and of course, Nike ACG.
From an unexpected place, NYC, you have managed to create a large ACG community in actively involved in walks and visits. How did ACG Daily come about?
ACG Daily came about in September 2019. I started falling in love with ACG starting in 2017 and I realized there were not many pages dedicated to Nike ACG. I started it as a personal scrapbook of my favorite ACG pieces by posting my favorite pictures from online and personal pictures. A little over 3 years later we have reached 138,000 followers and have had multiple community hikes for our followers!
What kind of activities do you organize from ACG Daily?
We have had 3 official ACG Daily hikes in the past year. I am planning on doing these at least 3-4 times a year to help bring out the ACG community. It is always a great time to meet everyone who follows the page and talk ACG and a lot more!
The amazing thing about ACG Daily is how it has managed to form a community. Do you think there is something about ACG that facilitates that ability to form a community?
People who love ACG love the outdoors. We welcome everyone! You don’t have to be wearing ACG to join us on our hikes nor do you need to be an ACG expert. I think that’s what makes this community so special. We have people from all different backgrounds, cultures, locations that come together to share their love for the outdoors, ACG, and so many other things.
As you’ve said on occasion, your approach to ACG came relatively recently, something that fits perfectly with a brand that tries to have its products lived in, not placed in a museum. Do you think the fact that you weren’t a vintage-head has made it easier for you to move on?
It definitely makes it easier for me to move on cause I don’t know too much about the old days of ACG haha. I love all the new designs that have come out recently because of the modern colors and technologies. This makes me appreciate the vintage items that much more because you see the inspiration and thought behind some of the designs. I also love hearing the stories from people like @acgmack, @tosherh, and @_y0shi_ (just to name a few) who have been following ACG for much longer and know a lot of the history behind the brand.
ACG has reinvented itself, it started as a multifunctional outdoor, went through a hip-hop era, adventurous sports or an Considered era, until reaching the current one. Do you have a favorite era?
I loved the Spring Summer 2018 line because to me it provided the perfect combination of color and tech that you can take on a hike. I live close to NYC and I love being able to wear my ACG not only on the city streets but on a trail an hour outside of the city. That’s the best part about ACG: you can literally wear it anywhere and stand out!
And a favorite garment?
SS18 Woven Ripstop Hooded Jacket. Hands down my favorite piece and wish I had bought the other colors cause I wear this jacket so often. Also seeing people like LeBron James and John Mayer rocking this makes the piece even more special haha.
We’ve seen Rasheed Wallace playing in the NBA with ACG, Serena Williams or LeBron James training with ACG… What’s the most unexpected place you’ve seen an ACG item?
I think it’s amazing to see ACG on all the celebrities but I think it’s special when you see Nike ACG in some of the most mundane places. An airport, A library, the grocery store, etc because those are the places you really don’t expect to see ACG. It’s amazing to be able to strike up a conversation with that person on how they got into ACG and what kind of pieces they own.
We know you’ve had access to Nike ACG designers who have shown you new collections and we know you can’t talk about it but, what would you like the future of ACG to be?
I want ACG to be accessible to everyone. Similar to other Nike sublines I think collaborations across those different lines would be amazing. For example, a Nike Golf x Nike ACG collaboration would be amazing to see in my opinion because there are already so many golfers that wear ACG on the course. To come out with a ACG x Nike Golf shoe and clothing collection would be special because there are so many similarities between the two (walking a lot, playing in tough conditions, wearing bright colors) and it would open a completely new audience for Nike ACG. That’s what I want to see more out of ACG in the future, opening opportunities for people from different places/sports/activities the opportunity to rock Nike ACG.
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