Mmmm, dat sneaker cleaning service doe.
If you need a lil’ extra incentive (we’re sure you don’t) to register, our mate Mo gave us the run-down on why the Air Max is such an iconic sneaker and why you’ll want to drop in on the Max Lab.
Mo Moubayed and his friends hit the nail right on the head conceptually when they came up with the idea for their space.
Photo: Butter / Supplied.
“Butter is a recently-opened hybrid sneaker, fried chicken and champagne bar in Surry Hills,” he says.
Photo: Butter / Supplied.
If you haven’t heard of Butter before, we understand why you suddenly need to sit down for a second. Sneakers + fried chicken + champagne. Seriously, what more is there to life?
“Our theory is quite simple: create a place where you would like to go. All the founders of Butter love sneakers so it was a no brainer. We wanted to build a place where you could have great food and drinks but also appreciate sneakers if you were a seasoned sneaker head or just wanted to know more about them. Luckily, we had Julian Cincotta (Head Chef of Thievery, ex Nomad and Rockpool) on our team to create amazing fried chicken.”
We’d like to echo that it is, in fact, amazing chicken. Seeing as there’s a focus on sneakers at Butter, and because Butter’s catering events at the Air Max Lab on the 12th and 17th of March, Mo was a great guy to talk as we head into the Month of Max.
“As I grew up, my appreciation for sneakers developed. My favourite Air Max is the Air Max 1. It is a testament to its timeless design (a sneaker that was released when I was 4 years old is still one of my favourites!)”
“From a young age, I was always jealous of my older brother’s sneakers. The day my eldest brother came home with a pair of Air Max 95 Neon was a notable moment. It was in this moment I truly believed owning a pair would complete my life.”
Mo believes that the Air Max took air – something that we’re surrounded by – and not only utilised it, but made it luxurious as well.
“Air Max did the unimaginable. The thought of walking on air was more luxurious yet more comfortable than anything else, and the fact that you could now see it was a huge breakthrough. Ever since then, they have continued to push the limits.”
“To be great you need to be able to cross boundaries, time and cultures. Air Max has been doing that since its inception.”
To him, there were three pivotal moments in the creation of our present sneaker culture.
“Sportsperson: Michael Jordan and the banned AJ1. Designer: Tinker Hatfield and the AM1. Celebrity: Jerry Seinfeld.”
One of the main elements the Air Max Lab is focusing on is the work of HTM – Nike chief executive Mark Parker, designer Tinker Hatfield and cultural consultant Hiroshi Fujiwara. Mo’s a firm believer that HTM really did, and continues to, shake up the shoe game.
“Without HTM, sneakers would not be as we know them today.”
If you would like to know more about the talks and events taking place in the Month of Max at the Air Max Lab, head to Nike’s website
HERE.