Nike made quite the loud statement when it ran an ad full-page in the New York Times to promote its NikeCraft General Purpose Shoe, designed by artist Tom Sachs. This was in 2022, when an aggressively funny message declaring that the brand wants to be boring in a world where sneakers are crammed with too much meaning went viral. Dubbed as the ‘General Purpose Shoe’ the ad claimed that it is an “own-less sneaker” and a “do-more sneaker”.The ad also mentioned the shoe as a really retro shoe with worn-looking aesthetics for those who hate the fresh, squeaky-clean image of the conventional sneaker.
Highsnobiety reported that the GPS “remains a testament to his philosophy of more functionality and storytelling in footwear.” “It’s for daily use,” Sachs was quoted as saying. The shoe comes in two editions for $109.99 (INR 9,236) one with a neutral Studio hue, paired with gum midsole and cobalt-blue accents.
Nike, the sneaker giant, has always sold shoes as status symbols. This contradicted what the GPS was striving for. The Mars Yard Shoe produced by Sachs and previous collaboration was a highly sought-after shoe because it was based on intergalactic designs, but the GPS focussed on the daily utility and beauty that evolves through its wear. This drop challenged sneaker culture as it questionsed what we place value within our shoes and invited the wearer to ask themselves if they are going to use them or leave them sitting.
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The NikeCraft General Purpose Shoe was meant to be embraced by simplicity and functionality. The ad campaign to market the shoe zeroed in on its “boring” quality by positioning the shoe as a versatile tool not as a collector’s item, even as an everyday sneaker – defying the assumptions of what sneakers should be. The shoe blended understated style with practical design.
Unlike earlier projects, this sneaker did not attempt bold statements but instead seemed to say that beauty occurs in wear and tear. The shoe attempted to democratize the sneakers’ culture and inferred that value lies less in exclusivity but more in utility and lived experience. Going forward, the NikeCraft GPS will necessarily provoke such a reappraisal of what shoes mean to our lives.