Revenge is a dish best served cold.
Better Gift Shop’s first Nike footwear collaboration will land on the Air Max Dn8. In a campaign starring GRAMMY-nominated and celebrated rapper Earl Sweatshirt, the Toronto-based brand officially revealed the sneaker and the matching Nike Made in USA Varsity Jacket.
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Better Gift Shop has long established itself as a cultural hub and community space for the city of Toronto. It’s emphasis on culture and connection is what inspired their first ever collaboration with Nike forward. The sneaker draws inspiration from past Nike silhouettes that were important parts of Better Gift Shop founder, Avi Gold’s, journey with the brand. The Better Gift Shop Dn8 is Avi’s commitment to the underground and resilience in service of subculture. It is a reflection of the strong community of the city of Toronto.
The sneaker features a Wolf Grey base with special 3M wave pattern etchings and layers donning the upper. The Better Gift Shop Nike Air Max Dn8 is highlighted by a lenticular tongue inspired by a friend of the brand based in Japan. The Japanese inspirations also include the box referencing animation cells found in Nakano Broadway, the mall famous for its anime stores – an homage to the way cartoons used to be made. Also included are a set of both Black and Wolf Grey 3M reflective laces, with the original pattern on the Dn8 as reflective so it, according to the brand, “shines in the darkness”.
The aggressive feeling of the 3M of the upper was an intentional choice when designing the sneaker. “Our shoe is meant to look aggressive with its shapes being pronounced with the medial part that’s meant to be reminiscent of fangs. The overall tone of the shoe is cold because “Revenge is a dish best served cold,” shared Better Gift Shop when explaining the story behind their Dn8 collaboration.
Of course, no collaboration is official without complimentary memorabilia. Releasing along the sneaker will be collaborative Nike T-shirts in Black and White in addition to a Crewneck, a special edition Better Gift Shop x New Era hat, and limited Better Gift Shop Basketball Shorts, Socks and a collaborative Bandana with GeekOut. The collection will be available online and in-store in limited quantities alongside the footwear launch, with apparel sizes ranging from Small to XXL and prices ranging from $20 to $100 (in USD).
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As part of the campaign, Better Gift Shop has also introduced Revengie, a life-sized character showing up in all corners of the world and the internet. Revengie first appeared in the initial preview for the Dn8 collaboration-and has had the privilege of meeting friend of the brand STASH ahead of the release of the Better Gift Shop Dn8. Select in-store purchases will receive a complimentary special edition Revengie plushie and vinyl collectible statue along with their purchase of the Better Gift Shop Nike Air Max Dn8.
Better Gift Shop is the latest brand to join Nike’s roster of collaborators. In the last few years, the Swoosh has made a point to connect on a more deep-rooted level to the sneaker community that consumes their product. This shift of connecting with tight-knit and authentic brands has been a breath of fresh air- and a signal to the customer of Nike’s efforts to be better connected with their audience. Better Gift Shop’s long esteemed nature of fostering the culture and the creatives of the city of Toronto and beyond perfectly encapsulates Nike’s mission. In fact, it might surpass it.
The Better Gift Shop Nike Air Max Dn8 will release on June 13th in store at 10 AM EST, with an online release to follow at Noon EST at bettergiftshop.com. The Better Gift Shop Nike Air Max Dn8 and capsule collection will release only and exclusively at Better Gift Shop. An Early Access Entry will take place from June 6th to June 9th for email subscribers. To join the Early Access Entry, subscribe to the Better Gift Shop email list at bettergiftshop.com. All winners of the Early Access Entry will be notified prior to launch on June 13th.
Official images courtesy of Better Gift Shop
