Nike x Saint Alfred Soccer Pop-Up Store Opens Tomorrow
By Ben Schuman Stoler in Arts & Entertainment on Apr 14, 2010 4:00PM
The funny thing about Nike’s influence in the world of soccer branding, gear, and culture is that they’re so new on the scene. Like some kind of new best friend, Nike rolled in on the party in the 1990s and players and teams found their money and ideas enticing enough to leave longstanding brands like Adidas, Puma, and Umbro. Of course, Chicago was a major epicenter for Nike’s global success. Without MJ, without the Jordans, would Nike have had the capital—both cultural and financial—to go into the international market of soccer?
Maybe. Either way, it’s come full circle: This time, in a soccer specific pop-up store opening tomorrow in time for the World Cup and in collaboration with Saint Alfred, Nike’s bringing the international to Chicago. The store carries the usual Nike soccer street wear (the kits, the track jackets, the sneakers, etc.) but spruces them up with international artists’ new takes on the teams.
Artists So Me (France), Delta (Netherlands), Nunca (Brazil), Kronk (South Africa), James Jarvis (England), and Mister Cartoon (USA) were tasked with redesigning their own country’s crest, badge, and mascot, as well as creating an original alphabet in their handwriting style. The end results are featured on technologically upgraded releases of Nike classic footwear, polos and track jackets.
For the USA, well, let’s just say USA Soccer ought to consider Mister Cartoon’s redesign as a permanent change. The LA streetartist’s designs were inspired by prison tattoos. His mascot is a hard looking eagle and the new crest is in an old English-inspired font.
In a lot of ways, the store is exactly what you’d expect from a company as entrenched in their market as Nike. At the opening party this weekend, we heard someone say, “Wow, Nike must have focus grouped the crap out of this.”
It’s true that the store has all the hallmarks of a trendy pop-up store. It’s got the flat screen, the clean lines, the electropop, the sneakers just so. But does that make the store any less cool? Not to us.
Because part of what made Nike have such quick success in soccer was that their ideas actually made sense. When they first released the crazy looking Vapor back in '02, we all thought they were mental—until we tried them on and felt how light they were.
So the store’s wood paneled wall on which some of the sneakers are displayed? The one across from the flat screen TV? It’s actually some pull-out bleachers—across from the TV so they can have World Cup viewing parties. And that printing press in the back? It’s not entirely a gimmick. A different local artist will be making shirts each month leading up to and including June. Right now, it’s Cody Hudson. Mister Cartoon starts May 1st.
Nike deserves a lot of credit not only for bringing an innovative unique store to Chicago—an underrated soccer town—but for following through on their ideas and connecting the trendy and coolness factor to the fun and usefulness factor.
Good for them. And good for us.
The Nike x Saint Alfred soccer pop-up store is on 1529 N. Milwaukee and is open Thursday, April 15 - Sunday, April 18, 12 p.m. - 8 p.m.