Fans of the Nike Air Max 1 probably know the problem; a crumbling sole or leather that has aged over the years to the point that it seems to fall off the sneaker. Despite the Air Max 1 making a comeback last year, the classic colorways from previous years are still in a class of their own. Marcel Scheper, better known as The Dutch Sneaker, restores OG Nike Air Max 1s and makes them wearable again. In a Sneakerjagers interview, he explains why exactly the Air Max 1 is so important to him and the community.
The Dutch Sneaker
It is 2020, the corona pandemic has gripped the Netherlands and also Marcel Scheper. As a lot falls silent regarding work, sports, and activities, Marcel starts restoring his favourite sneaker: the Nike Air Max 1. The first sneaker to be accompanied by a new sole is the Atmos 'Viotech' (also the sneaker Marcel is wearing during our conversation).
"I started restoring sneakers belonging to myself and acquaintances," Marcel explains. "The first sneaker whose sole I 'swapped' was the 'Viotech' from 2003. After more than 20 years, that sole was worth nothing, so I tackled that one first."
What started as a hobby for late nights grew in a short time into a thriving business with customers worldwide. Marcel works under the name 'The Dutch Sneaker' (@thedutchsneaker) and focuses exclusively on restoring OG colorways of the Nike Air Max 1 - think the ‘Amsterdam’ (2003), Parra x Patta ‘Cherrywood’, and Atmos ‘Elephant’ from 2007.
Exclusive grails
It's not without reason that Marcel focuses on restoring OG Air Max 1 colorways. "First of all, those are often the sneakers that need the most repair," he says with a laugh. "In addition, there's a lot of history in those particular, exclusive colorways. They each tell their own story."
A big sneaker lover himself, Marcel knows better than anyone how tough it can be when your favourite colorways have become unwearable. "Look, this one for example," Marcel says as he pulls the Atmos 'Elephant' off the shelf, "I had this sneaker imported from Thailand. The humidity is so much higher there that you can see directly from the crumbled sole."
In Marcel's workspace are more of these types of specimens, some more exclusive than others. He gets the sneakers sent in from all over the world - from France to America. "There are not many places where you can have sneakers restored, Nike itself doesn't offer a service, for example. That's where I come around the corner."
Marcel works with regular customers who approach him with a specific request or sneaker. They can provide the donor soles, the soles used in swapping the outer and middle soles, themselves or request them from Marcel. Marcel then provides the sneaker with a new sole, painted and all, and the sneaker is returned to the customer.
Dutch hype
Despite Marcel's customers coming from all over the world, he says the Air Max 1 is still linked to the Netherlands. "I don't know the specific reason for this, but it has always been that we Dutch are big fans of this particular silhouette," he says. "France also has its own silhouette, think of the Nike TN series. The Air Max 95 is very popular in England, and the Netherlands has the Air Max 1 or the BW - that one may be even more iconic."
What Marcel believes could play a role in this is the iconic collaborations Dutch brands like Patta or Parra have had with the Air Max 1. "The 'Cherrywood' colorway, for example, is not only loved in the Netherlands but all over the world. I think the comfort of the Air Max 1 also plays a role, you can see that with the BW, for example, which became big in Dutch gabber culture because of its comfort."
The well-known 'Amsterdam' colorway, which appeared in 2005, also confirmed the silhouette's popularity in the Netherlands. What the specific reason behind the great Air Max 1 success is, is yet unknown and also irrelevant, according to Marcel: "It's just a great sneaker."
Air Max 1 comeback
So the silhouette's comeback in 2023 was a big win for Marcel (and the rest of the Netherlands). For a long time, the Air Max 1 had been unavailable or hard to come by. During Air Max Day, in early 2023, the sneaker was reintroduced - as was the Big Bubble '86 silhouette, the predecessor to the classic Air Max 1 model.
"The comeback of the Air Max 1 was, of course, like a dream come true," Marcel says. "Not only for my own sneaker collection but also for The Dutch Sneaker, this comeback was very beneficial, as I can now get donor shoes more easily." It is important that the sole and Air unit of the donor shoe match the colors of the OG pair. "Before, finding a suitable sneaker was sometimes a search. That's has been getting easier these days," Marcel said.
Since the 2023 comeback, Marcel has already added several colorways to his collection. "I think the 'Urawa' colorway is one of the better colorways from last year," Marcel says while holding a copy in his hands. "What I think is cool about this colorway is that they didn't bring it back one-to-one, you see that a lot now. Secretly, I think that's a bit of a shame. It kind of takes the magic away from the original colorway."
Marcel refers to the anticipated release of the Patta x Nike Air Max 1 'Chlorophyll,' which looks set for a retro release in 2024. "I'm very curious to see what they will do with this release. I'll be there when it releases."
Future
Since its inception, The Dutch Sneaker has been going fast. "I get requests daily, almost too many to keep track. I never expected it all to go so fast, I do take that as a compliment," Marcel said.
Looking at the past three years, Marcel is very satisfied with where he is now. He has no real plans for expansion: "I'd like to keep it as a hobby, it's my passion, not a nine-to-five job." For the time being, he will be busy with the requests in his inbox.
"The world of sneakers continues to inspire me, the people, the sneaker models, and everything around it," Marcel says. "I have passion for what I do, and I think that's the most important thing."