What did Pac say??? “They got money for wars but can’t feed the poor.” Anyway the AJC is reporting that Big Boi of Outkast is about to become the first owner of $50,000 diamond studded Nike Air Forces. SMH (we know ridiculous)
He’s getting the pair free, compliments of Atlanta retailers Laced Up Boutique and Priyya and Chintans Diamonds. First of a kind, they say.
Artisans in Mumbai, India, are putting the finishing touches on the sneakers, featuring diamonds studded around the famous swoosh logo.
Diamonds are bedazzling everything from iPods to brassieres, which got Priyya and Chintans owner Rita Patel thinking: “Why not diamonds on sneakers?”
The inspiration hit her while waiting in line for breakfast across the street from Laced Up. Just so happens the upscale shoe boutique caters to hip-hop stars like T.I. and Usher. Owner Ernel Dawkins expects the sneaks will be a big hit with his celebrity clientele.
“People in the entertainment industry aren’t afraid to spend big money, and sneakers are becoming like collectibles,” Dawkins said.
The customized shoes are Air Force 1’s, but a newer hybrid, the “So Cal.” Without diamonds, they retail for $225. To add the diamonds, the logo is cast in gold metal and the diamonds are studded in casings held together by a fine gold stitching, Patel said.
“They had to look good, of course, and they had to be comfortable,” she said.
“I have never heard of diamonds on sneakers, but it’s a natural progression. It speaks to the whole rise of sneaker culture,” said Meghan Cleary, host of “Shoe Therapy” on the Home Shopping Network.
The 11-carat sneakers will be unveiled Nov. 27 . A mock-up of the shoes displayed at the recent BET Awards in Atlanta sparked dozens of inquiries.
“In the hip-hop industry, it’s all about topping each other,” said Patel. “We think it will be well worth it in the long run.”
“I think you’re going to see more and more uber-luxury customizations of sneakers,” she said. “Sneakers have become such a mode of expression. Next year you’ll probably be writing about a $100,000 pair of sneakers.”
Source AJC
Media Outrage 