Subway-themed sneakers just the ticket for Berliners
BERLIN — Dozens of sports shoe enthusiasts stormed Adidas stores in Berlin on Tuesday to snatch a pair of shoes launched in collaboration with the public transport network that incorporate the same pattern as the subway’s seats, as well as an annual ticket.
Adidas is selling just 500 pairs of the shoes for 180 euros ($220) each to coincide with the 90th anniversary of the Berliner Verkehrsbetriebe, or BVG, public transport company.
The shoes — an updated version of the EQT shoes originally launched in 1993 that were popular with east Germans after the fall of the Berlin Wall — have a season ticket valid for 2018 sewn into the tongue of the shoes, normally worth 761 euros, a key draw for commuters seeking a deal.
“I came from Leipzig on Saturday and am 73rd in the queue,” said Andreas Leu, who was wrapped up in a big red sleeping bag.
“What’s most interesting is the ticket and there are only 500 pairs. I’m keeping it for my collection,” he added.
Julian Kienst, who was standing next to Leu, said: “It helps me save quite a lot of money that I can use for other things, particularly since I don’t make that much.”
Celebrating the sneakers’ popularity in its typical ironic fashion on Twitter, the BVG tweeted: “Letting people wait — it’s one of our superpowers.”
Revamped image
BVG chairwoman Sigrid Nikutta said: “How cool is that? It’s great that the BVG, which is celebrating its 90th birthday this year, is now becoming a style icon itself.”
The Berlin public transport company has revamped its image in recent years with a series of quirky ads and social media campaigns that have gone viral. It already sells bags and other accessories with its swirling red, black and blue seat pattern.
“I already have a buyer who will pay 850 euros,” said Nikita Dutschenko, a young man who said he was missing school to wait in line with dozens of others who camped out overnight in sub-zero temperatures. “You can make good money out of it.”
The BVG’s marketing stunt however came under fire, with Die Welt daily calling the hype over the sneakers “absurd”.
The conservative newspaper noted that few pairs of the shoes would likely end up on commuters’ feet as they will be more valuable if kept in mint condition as collectors’ items.
Barely minutes after the sneakers went on sale at 10 am, some were being offered online at up to 1,150 euros — around six times their original price.
Rival Nike has previously collaborated with the London underground on several sneaker lines using its patterns and fonts, including to mark its 150th anniversary in 2013.