Michael Jordan and his sneakers once seriously big-boyed Rihanna and her hugely popular sneakers
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When it comes to the sneaker game, there aren’t many, if any individuals more popular than Michael Jordan.
This man-made Nike into what it is today by being so popular as their star athlete, that the company went from bench warming to being perhaps the best ever, in the basketball sneakers game. And then of course he was able to get Nike to give him his own company, which is now trading blows with its parent company as well.
All in all, when it comes to the sneaker game, you don’t mess with Michael Jordan. And, in 2016 apparently, Rihanna and Puma learned that the hard way.
Let’s dive right into it, shall we?
Also Read: LeBron James set to earn $438 million more than Michael Jordan in his career with latest Lakers move
Michael Jordan’s ‘Flue Game’ sneaker releases had Rihanna and Puma completely beat
That may seem like hardly a surprise, but, there is more to it than what meets the eye.
Rihanna’s ‘Creepers’ line with Puma was massively successful, attracting hordes of people to sneaker stores, and selling out within mere minutes.
AND THE CREEPERS @RIHANNA @FENTYCORP. pic.twitter.com/611t7NkpPA
— sabrina ミ☆ (@legendarihhhh) March 4, 2021
Upon looking at them, these sneakers were indeed ahead of their time. They seem like the kind of sneakers that everyone finds fashionable today, except they came at a time when that wasn’t the popular perception.
But, even despite that fact, they stood absolutely no chance of outshining the Jordan Brand.
Standing in as a witness, here is what Monique Jung, a sales associate at a retailer called ‘Undefeated’, felt on the matter, as per Kathleen Kosek, a former writer for Forbes.
“Monique Jung, sales associate at shoe retailer Undefeated, expects the flu shoe crowd will make the rush for Rihanna’s creepers seem quaint. Their team is experienced in crowd control with deep experience selling limited-release footwear to experts in street style who are passionate about their acquisitions.
A massive number of millennials rising early on a Saturday morning to wait in long lines and pay $190 for the “Air Jordan 12 Flu Game” shoes is a case study in maintaining brand relevance across generations.
Given that the Air Jordan brand is more than 30 years old, most of its fans haven’t seen Michael Jordan play a single game in real time—much less witness the unbelievable triumph of mind over body in Game 5.
Since the actual shoes Jordan wore in that famous playoff game sold at auction for $104,765, the price of $190 for a spanking new pair probably looks like a bargain.”
Moral of the story: You don’t try to compete with Air Jordan.