2005 was a tremendous year for Nike: the moment a pair of sneakers was shown to have the power to drive people crazy. The launch of the Nike Dunk SB NYC Pigeon It represented a before and after for the swoosh company.
Jeff Staple he was already a renowned designer back then. He counted on his store, Reed Space, on the Lower East Side of New York. February 22, 2005 the launch of its NYC Pigeon sneakers was scheduled, inspired by the characteristic pigeons of the city.
These slippers were gray with white and orange details, following the style of New York birds.
would only be sold 150 pairs in his store, in addition to others on sites also in a limited way. Each would be worth $300: it had all been kept secret, but somehow it leaked out days before the sale.
Staple did not count on the fact that, in the days before, hundreds of people would crowd in front of Reed Space to buy a pair of pigeon slippers.
The Nike Dunk SB NYC Pigeon Sneaker Riot
“We did not know when we were going to receive the shipment of the shoes in our warehouse. The day they arrived, I remember opening the box and saying ‘Here it is!’ Then we got phone calls like right away,” Staple said. in an interview with Justin Block, quoted by Highsnobiety.
“The next day, the kids started putting up tents outside our tent, and they began to wait four days before the launch in mid-February in New York.
“It was raining,” Staple recalls. “I felt bad. Every night he bought pizzas for the kids, because they were sleeping outside in a snow storm for four days.”
When the store opened on February 22, the scenes were chaotic: the police tried to prevent the entry of the crowd that surrounded the business, causing disturbances in the area.
The authorities tried to break the initial line, but no one wanted to leave. “I’ve been sleeping here for four days,” read one, Staple recounts. “The kids wouldn’t leave, so the police said, ‘If you don’t get out of line, we’ll arrest you.’
When the police started evicting people, the madness escalated. Then they would appear machetes and baseball bats on the ground, brought by those hoping to buy the slippers.
One before and one after
Staple reflected in the interview with Justin Block about the fact.
“Before the riots, sneaker culture was underground and a bit nerdy. After that, the investment bankers came into the store and told us, ‘We used to buy cigars and wine. Now we’re just going to buy sneakers.’ It changed overnight.”
Then Nike Dunk SB NYC Pigeon sneakers andn events organized at Sothebys. a pair was sold at $25,200. A true madness that transcended all time.