Here’s an interesting story from the New York Post about the NIKEiD 255 Studio, an eye-catching storefront with a floor-to-ceiling sneaker display located in NYC’s NoLIta neighborhood. Only the shoes aren’t for sale–at least for the common folk.
It’s a “design lab” where a select few (designers, celebrities and athletes) have been invited to customize their own Nike footwear.
But that doesn’t stop Nike from luring passersby in with a deceptively retail-like facade – only to be shot down when they dare to ask to buy sneakers on the spot.
Jen Beckman, who runs a gallery on nearby Spring Street, has ranted about the store on her blog, UnBeige, since the studio “opened” on March 31.
“My friend and I tried to go in the other day – and this big bouncer guy said to me, ‘Do you have an appointment?'” she says.
“I said, ‘Are you kidding me?’ He was sort of sheepish about it. Because it’s so dumb! I said, ‘Well, could I make an appointment?’ And he said, ‘We’re only inviting celebrities and designers right now.'”
Unless you’re a “friend of the brand,” you’re out of luck, a Nike spokesman confirmed.
I always thought the essence of Nike’s brand was that being physically active–in any way–was good for everybody. Doesn’t this exclusivity fly in the face of that?
I hear you Mr. G. It does sound confusing and that could be a p.r. problem, but the idea of exclusivity is also built in to the Nike brand. If it wasn’t, kids wouldn’t be getting mugged for their new pair of Air Jordan’s.