Why Patta x Nike “The Wave” was one of the best releases of 2021
“Out of love and necessity rather than profit and novelty” is the first thing you see when opening the About page of the Patta website. Looking back at the history of one of the most iconic sneaker stores in the world, Patta made its name in its own unique way.
Patta was founded by Edson Sabajo and Guillaume ‘Gee’ Schmidt. Both were instrumental in the Dutch hip-hop and nightlife community in the ’90s and early 2000’s - Edson as a DJ and Gee as an MC and event host. The music-minded pair also shared an obsession with hunting internationally for sneakers and records.
They would soon find themselves funnelling a steady supply of gear from their travels, back home to their community in Amsterdam, which grew naturally into a business partnership.
Before they knew it, the demand started growing, and a cult favourite brand was born. Today, Patta is one of few internationally revered, black-owned streetwear brands and consists of a clothing line, Patta Soundsystem, Patta Running Team, and, most recently, the Patta Foundation focusing on youth cultural education. The brand is named after a slang term for “shoe” - a nod to the founders’ Surinamese heritage.
A creative family to the core, Patta encourages inspiring collaborations, cultural crossover, and unconventional forms. After years of acquiring coveted sneakers, not only did Patta have a unique catalogue of products, they also were able to build a community with friends and family that allowed them to own a space in the Dutch streetwear scene and then worldwide.
But how do you finally end up getting that coveted Nike Tier-Zero account? Also known as the crème de la crème of sneaker retailers. Tier-zero stores get hand-selected by Nike and have access to the most coveted releases, including NRG, Special edition, Collaborations, and more. To answer the question on how Patta landed this account, it’s the only way Patta knows that is by being honest and straight up. It’s that same mindset that enabled Patta to create one of the greatest Nike Air Max 1’s of all time, the Nike x Patta x Piet Parra Cherrywood.
Fast forward a few years later, Patta announced a new collaboration to kickstart the rebirth of the beloved silhouette giving us more than just a sneaker but a story, their story of what moves the wave they started years ago. The brand went above and beyond creating a four-part mini-movie alongside the four sneakers that would eventually release.
Driven by their great sense of community, Patta x Nike’s ‘The Wave‘ is a narrative that explores self-expression and growth which, like a wave, is never-ending. The excitement surrounding the release took us back a few years with a line of people as long as your eyes could see. It felt like the old days, young and old waiting in line for a new collab between Patta and Nike.
As Patta continues to be a benchmark for the sneaker community and a staple for Amsterdam we think we can all agree that the wave Patta started in 2004 is ever-growing.
From the beginning, Patta built their name from connecting with people, doing everything with typical Amsterdam-like bluff and love, but always to improve their community. To see how the brand is standing as it is right now can only serve as inspiration to keep going and above all have faith and love in whatever it is you do.
Video by Remy Cadier
