COMME des GARÇONS Foams and the Disenfranchised

Written by Nick Grant

I can remember it like it was yesterday.

March 23, 1997, Arizona Wildcats vs. Kansas Jayhawks in the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Basketball tournament. This was a monumental moment for me, not because I was a huge fan of either Arizona or KU, but because I was a 12-year old just starting to cut my teeth in the sneaker game and my world got absolutely rocked when then-freshman phenom, Mike Bibby debuted one of the most enigmatic sneakers in history — the Nike Air Foamposite One.

Mike Bibby in the Nike Air Foamposite One

I can vividly remember battling small fits of pendulum-like shifts on whether I loved them or hated them, but it was undeniable that they were one of the most enigmatic sneakers I had ever laid eyes on. “What the heck are those?” I kept asking my dad, or my teammates I watched the game with. No one could answer, which was an anomaly in and of itself. It was an emotional rollercoaster.  Then, the sneakerâ€s release date and price were finally announced, and that euphoria quickly turned to dread, then sadness. A $180 sneaker was just not in the cards for me. But I knew I would cease to exist if I didnâ€t have them. And, apparently, a decent chunk of the Washington D.C. metro area Black teens and young adults had the same mindset.

The unique, futuristic look with lustrous uppers and minimal branding made these extremely polarizing at the time, but each of those features were right up the Districtâ€s alley.

The shoe itself not only merged the areaâ€s love for 90â€s basketball sneakers with bulky, chunky boot-like silhouettes, hefty price tag translated to built-in exclusivity that made these the metroâ€s de facto badge of honor.

So why do I feel like the COMME des GARÇONS x Nike Foamposite One dropping this week, retailing at $520, is a blatant slap in the face to the region that gave this model its longevity with a side of attempted gentrification? 

COMME des GARÇONS x Nike Air Foamposite One

“But the mold that forms the uppers alone costs $750,000 to produce!”

“This isnâ€t the first time CDG has put an astronomical premium on a Nike collab.”

“People are willing to pay that much for resale.”

“If anything, this will help give the Foamposite more relevance!”

“Doesnâ€t matter; these are going to sell out instantly.”

All of these statements are objectively true.

They hit the sneaker conglomerate trifecta; great design, incredibly exclusive, and the spawn of two irresistible brands. Glowing endorsements from A$AP Nast and Kid Cudi donâ€t hurt. But an out-of-stripes experience from Ye will undoubtedly have these in even hotter demand. Endorsements like this always legitimize the item, especially as resellers look for the next hottest product. 

Itâ€s true that the molding process packs a hefty price tag. According to Nike, the original process behind the 1997 model took three to four years to perfect, basically by pouring liquid polyurethane into a mold that forms that magnificent, glistening shell. The last and outer walls of the mold are said to cost $750,000 per size. So a completely new and extremely alluring outer wall design would explain the 125%+ markup in cost, right? One could certainly make that argument, but only the outer wall of the mold is changing. The real reason behind the price jump lives with – and only with – statement #2.

 “I feel like most sneaker lovers look at under 350 as expensive but not insane resell price. Once you break above that 500 mark, regardless of %, you lose a LOT of people. Thatâ€s just getting too up for most heads.” -SoleSavy member Big Kev

The COMME des GARÇONS lineage and Nike have a long history of collaborating, dating back over two decades, virtually pioneering the space where streetwear, athletic sneakers, and luxury fashion meet. And during that time, theyâ€ve been known to work on the more forsaken models of Nikeâ€s past, breathing new life into them with their esoteric design that anyone with eclectic taste can appreciate.

So it comes as no shock that the two would link up to re-invent such an enigmatic sneaker for their latest endeavor. And itâ€s even less shocking that the fashion stalwart would go so out-of-pocket to get in your pockets with that MSRP, considering this isnâ€t the most egregious mark-up of their recent chain of checks. In fact, last yearâ€s Air Force 1 Mid had a 184% markup from the original, and the Carnivore from earlier this year had a whopping 200% premium tacked onto the original retail price.

So, we shouldâ€ve expected this right? Wrong.

COMME des GARÇONS x Nike Air Carnivore

This is very much a “because we can” play without truly understanding the cultural implications they are playing with.

Itâ€s the tone-deaf equivalent of “I got my hair-braided while on vacation with my family on our yacht in the Dominican,” which is a sentiment CDG took very literally and ran with at their menâ€s 2020 Fall/Winter show during Paris Fashion Week last year. And that type of co-opting has disenfranchised a great deal of people in the region that has kept this shoe from reaching its expiration date. An area that was one of very few that actually did numbers to keep hope alive for the shoe, selling out of the original in 1997 while they sat on shelves nationwide. I know this because I finally got the money I needed to pick up a pair two weeks after they were released, so I called every store that carried them in the metro area to no avail. All I could do was look on with zealous spite for all my homies who had them.

“As a self-proclaimed Foam ‘head’ I can tell you that this is a collaboration that has been highly anticipated. While the price point is on the higher side, remember that this is a very limited release via DSM local raffles as well as their online shop. I anticipate the stock to be somewhat limited and as a size 12M, I am confident that bigger sizes will sell out first. The Foamposite is due for a “comeback” and in my opinion, this is the start of that. Most fans of Foams are constantly scouring the web in hopes of finding a previously released pair. Take a look and youâ€ll certainly be surprised at the high price points you’ll find. Foams are going to make a comeback in the sneaker scene.” -SoleSavy member MichaelMVP

And while I have no doubt Wale, D.C.-bred rapper and the undisputed de facto Foamposite King of the metro area, will have pairs lined up for him, many of his comrades still in the trenches — most of which are Black — will undoubtedly feel some type of way about a $500+ retail version of the shoe that they feel adopted when no one else would.