Nike sent a size 10 love note to Sony for past collaborations on console-themed kicks, but this series, based on the face buttons of a PlayStation controller, might be a little hard to find. Only 24 pairs will be made.
They also won't be sold to the general public. Ron Eagle, the director of product publicity for the PlayStation, said he got a call from Nike, who wanted to make him some PlayStation-themed shoes to say thanks for past collaboration and support. Eagle is a self-described "shoe guy," so of course the idea fired him up.
When I got the call and was told that they wanted to make a shoe, of course the first thing I asked was … what kind? They told me they were working on a new training shoe, one that would be technically very advanced, but would harken back to some of the great training shoes from their past, like the ones worn by Bo Jackson and John McEnroe. As soon as they said the word McEnroe – I was completely sold as the original Air Trainer 1, is one of my all time favorite shoe designs and something I remember wearing to school.
It started from there, asking me about favorite colors, and anything that I did or didn't like. The designers are just so good at taking input and making really slick creative choices, that when the line drawings come over, I'm just stunned. As you already know, we like to do things that haven't been done or are totally unique and that was one of the things that the guys at Nike knew that they wanted to do when they asked me what I liked.
Sony and Nike teamed up on highly sought-after Air Force One designs in 2006 and in 2009. Eagle said in those efforts, "we were working toward something with the other shoes. ... This being a "thank you" it could have been so many things – yet the guys at Nike got that it should be unique and it makes it very special to me because of that."
Doesn't sound like they'll hit eBay anytime soon. You can see more of the designs over at the link.
The NEW PlayStation Air Nike Trainer 1 [Sole Collector, via TheShoeGame, thanks Pete A.]