Bright green, white and black: the shoes are special in any case. They are variations of the Air Max BW – where BW stands for Big Window, referring to the large window in the sole. This specific model was first released in 1991. The special Rotterdam version was for sale at Woei Tjin, who has a shoe store on the Hoogstraat in Rotterdam. There was a stock of 2000 pairs, but they are all sold out now. “Some customers have stood in line for 12 hours.”
Rijnmond reporter Tenny Tenzer also has them. He doesn’t think they are very beautiful: “I actually think they are ugly, but yes, it is a cultural heritage.” This edition is only published once, and that makes it special. Still, Tenny would wear them to a very special event: “I would wear them to a very special event. For example, at the premiere of my own film. But nothing else.”
DJ David Vunk (real name David Versteeg) was one of the first to have them. “Well, after DJ Paul, she got it from Nike. But after that I was the lucky one. I’ve been best friends with Woei for years, so I was one of the first to receive them.” The BWs were also the first Air Max shoes David bought: “Big Windows were slightly cheaper than the Air Max 90 back then, so they’ve always held a special place for me.” David is a collector, but also a carrier. And even though he wears his sneakers, he takes good care of them: “I clean them every day,” he says with a laugh.
Bobby Jacques, a gabber at heart, does not agree with Tenny: “I think they are very beautiful. I especially like the editions and models from the early 90s. You know, Air Max 1, Air Max 90 , those kinds of shoes. From Air Max 95 I don’t find them so special anymore.” Bobby has quite a collection of Nikes, but “I don’t count them that often. I do have a lot of duplicates”. He even wears his latest addition to parties. “They are mainly black, and therefore not so contagious.” He also finds many of his sneakers on the second-hand circuit: “I’m always looking for a new pair.”
All three agree: this ode to Rotterdam and the gabber culture is a once in a lifetime-opportunity. You will never buy these shoes again. “It is the combination of a number of things: it is the classic model, an ode to Rotterdam and an ode to the gabber culture.” And for that you want to sit in front of the door for 12 hours and pay 140 euros for it.
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