We see a lot of weird releases in the sneaker and footwear industry. But Brooklyn-based marketing agency MSCHF seems to thrive in dropping controversial items.
There were the Nike Airmax 97 Customs, dubbed the "Jesus"and "Satan,” which supposedly had holy water and blood injected into the airsole units. These kicks obviously didnt go over well with a lot of people, including Nike, which sued MSCHF for trademark infringement. (They've since reportedly settled the issue out of court).
Then there were the "Aircasts"...which, well, looked like...plaster and plastic casts you might wear after a visit to the bone doctor.
Now...this.
The boots are said to be inspired by the classic anime series Astroboy (Or Boy Atom, depending where you grew up). I'd say they're exact copies of the boots Astro wore - oversized, exaggerated, mis-proportioned, looking like they were designed for a boy robot to wear and not for us normal humans.
Because of this they look like they'd be extremely hard to put on and remove, a perception which appears to be justified after watching numerous YouTube videos of early adopters who snagged advance pairs of the boot. Also, the extremely large outsole of the boot means you'd most probably have to adjust your stride lest you trip over yourself. I can also imagine how hot these would be on the foot in Philippine weather. Aesthetically, a lot of people say they dislike how it looks as well.
But despite all these obvious issues...why did pairs of the shoe sell out instantly, with a 350USD price tag to, ahem, boot?
You can't deny how celebrity endorsements can sway people - the moment music producer Diplo and social media influencer Sarah Snyder, among others, featured these kicks on their Instagram feed, people - both sneakerheads and non-sneakerheads alike - took notice. Add to the fact that these boots were created in such limited quantities, with an extremely high price tag - they naturally brought out the collector and hypebeast in a lot of people.
Lastly, at least for me - they actually evoke a sense of both nostalgia and future design - nostalgia since I grew up watching Astroboy, and future design since you get the feeling that maybe this is where fashion will eventually take us. (Well, Astroboy was set in the future) And not all fashion has to make sense anyway. Like art, beauty is relative. And damned be the practical side of all the boots drawbacks. To quote another popular Filipino saying, "Tiis Ganda" for those who love it.
Are you looking to cop a pair? Resale prices are topping 1800 USD as of this writing for an 11US—not counting shipping, taxes and other fees. Happy searching!