AUAS students design Nike sneakers with a message

17 Jun 2021 11:03 | Communication

As part of an entrepreneurship programme of the Amsterdam University of Applied Sciences, four students were selected to develop a campaign around their own Air Max 90 design supported by Nike. Aimée Adriaansen, Dyon Dijkman Dulkes, Stephanie Huisman and Emilio Manduapessy decided to use this opportunity to support the fight against ignorance around cultural and social diversity. With a telling statement, the students are encouraging self-education to build more understanding amongst people.

Today the students are launching their campaign on social media, collaborating with local diversity ambassadors such as Patta co-founder and mentor at the university Edson Sabajo, Favela Street director and AUAS alum Rocky Hehakaija, and The New Originals co-founder Eben Badu.

Via the slogan NOT KNOWING = NOT GROWING, the AUAS students are encouraging people to examine their own behaviour and to become more understanding of each other. Dutch writer Lale Gül was the first person to try on the sneakers and a fitting one at that - she recently wrote an autobiographical novel titled I'm going to live, which describes her strict religious upbringing which she has since broken away from.

‘We were so grateful to receive this opportunity, we immediately knew we had to use it to try and make a difference. And ignorance is something we all still recognize a lot in our collective environment, but it can be solved with education. It was a perfect fit for us as students.’, said Aimée on their choice for this campaign.

The design of the Air Max 90 was inspired by the many protests that took place in the past year. Neutral colours such as taupe, desert sand and malt were inspired by the protest signs and their moving statements written in black markers. The Martian sunrise accent on the outsole is a nod to Amsterdam, home of the university and where the design was born. The entire sneaker is made from premium materials such as suede and leather.

The HvA* Air Max 90 will be sold on Nike.com through the Nike By You platform for €169,99. AUAS/HvA students can check out the design in the University Store at the Amstel Campus (Wibaut building) and order a pair on the spot.

*Hogeschool van Amsterdam, the Dutch name of the university