Today we are talking about another unique pair - the Parra x Nike Air Max 1 'Amsterdam'. The Sneaker was designed by Parra in 2005 but is still a holy grail in the sneaker world today. Resell prices are in the thousands of euros for this unique design. Curious why? Read the story behind the Parra x Nike Air Max 1 'Amsterdam' here.
(Piet) Parra
Pieter Janssen, better known as (Piet) Parra, is a Dutch artist. He designs graphic illustrations on, for example, posters and flyers. But his work goes further these days and he also designs clothes, makes art and has had several sneaker collaborations. In 2010, he won the Dutch Design Award and the Amsterdam Prize for the Arts for his distinctive style. His work can be recognised by its red and blue tones and its graphic figures, which are often intended to be ironic.
Air Max 1 'Amsterdam' (2005)
Design
In 2005, Parra was asked to design the Air Max 1 especially for Nike's Capitol Series. The sneaker had to represent Amsterdam and Parra came up with the idea to use the 'Wallen' or 'The Red Light District' of Amsterdam as a starting point. That the sneakers are inspired by this can be seen by the striking red tones. To alternate the dark, brownish upper, a bright blue colour is chosen for the swooshes and laces. This bright blue colour stands for the lights of the Red Light District.
Another striking detail is that on the heel, the famous Nike Air logo has been replaced with a special 'Amsterdam is King' logo. Also on the tongue, the Nike logo has been replaced with a crown. Another special detail is that Parra designed a special graphic for the insole. The speckled sole also attracts attention and gives the sneaker a playful effect. Finally, the outsole is divided into different colours.
Release
The release for Parra x Nike Air Max 1 'Amsterdam' was very exclusive. How many sneakers were produced in total is not entirely clear because the pairs were not numbered. But it is estimated that there were about 200 to 250 pairs produced. Besides the official release of the AM1, there was also a limited Friends-and-Family version. The difference with this version, was that the Parra logo was stitched on the side of the shoe. Only 24 pairs of sneakers of this version were released.
Parra x Nike Air Max 1 'Albert Heijn'
Just as limited as the Friends-and-Family version, is the Parra x Nike Air Max 1 'Albert Heijn'. Before working with Nike, Parra's first idea was to design a shoe that represented the well-known supermarket chain Albert Heijn. However, AH's logo was redesigned and this changed the colour scheme of the supermarket. The orange colour was dropped and Parra was no longer allowed to continue the design. Therefore, only 24 pairs of this example version were produced.
This was the story behind the 2005 Parra x Nike Air Max 1 'Amsterdam'. Are you one of the lucky ones who owns a pair of this unique collaboration? Or is this shoe on your forever wish list like many other sneaker collectors?
This was day 9 of the 10 Days of Air Max at Sneakerjagers. Are you curious which sneaker we saved for the last day? Then keep a close eye on the Sneakerjagers Blog. Also follow our Instagram account, to not miss anything from Air Max Day and other new releases.
