Unique Product Collaboration is Born to Help Raise Funds for the Marshall Mathers Foundation and ninemillion.org
LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Aug. 25, 2006--Multi-platinum rapper Eminem and Nike, the world's leading sports and fitness company, have joined forces to create a limited edition run of the iconic Air Max series to benefit charity. An ardent fan of the Air Max and avid collector of sneakers, Slim Shady jumped at the chance to imprint his own personal touch on the world of sneaker collectors and raise funds for disadvantaged youths, both in his home state of Michigan, USA, and around the world in refugee camps.
Eminem (aka Marshall Mathers) has turned his talents to designing limited-edition uppers of eight different shoes in the Air Max series: from the Air Max '87 (originally designed by Tinker Hatfield, one of the world's foremost footwear designers), all the way up to the most recent Air Max 360, the new full-length Air technology from Nike. His reinterpretation of the upper has been laid onto the original blueprints for each of the Air Max shoes to create a unique set of shoe designs. "If you told me ten years ago that I'd be designing this whole series of Air Max's, I never would have believed it," commented Eminem. "It's one of the hottest lines that Nike ever produced, so I'm honored to make my own contribution. My only problem was figuring out how to make the shoes different from stuff they've already done: Nike always has the dopest color combos."
Only 8 full sets of the footwear (64 pairs of shoes in total) will be produced before they are auctioned off over a period of 4 weeks, starting August 31, to help raise money for the Marshall Mathers Foundation and ninemillion.org. All 64 pairs will be numbered and autographed by Eminem making them true collectors' items in every sense.
Eminem remarks: "We're always looking for new ways to try to raise money and awareness for the foundation, so when Nike approached us we jumped at the chance. When we got the info on ninemillion.org, it made even more sense. Who wouldn't want to design their own line of Nikes? And to do it for charity makes it that much better."
Throughout its history the Air Max series has set a benchmark in sports performance, continually elevating product design and technology to new levels.
DETAILS OF AUCTIONS:
All 8 styles will still be auctioned off at Nike stores and on eBay, with the proceeds going directly to ninemillion.org and the Marshall Mathers Foundation. All proceeds will be shared on an equal basis between the two charities.
DATE LOCATION SHOES QUANTITY
31st August NikeTown London Air Max '87 1 pair
Air Max '90 1 pair
12th September eBay Air Max '87 7 pairs
Air Max '90 7 pairs
16th September NikeTown Berlin Air Max 180 1 pair
Air Max '93 1 pair
19th September eBay Air Max 180 7 pairs
Air Max '93 7 pairs
22nd September Nike Store, Paris Air Max '95 1 pair
Air Max '97 1 pair
26th September eBay Air Max '95 7 pairs
Air Max '97 7 pairs
28th September NikeTown London Air Max '03 1 pair
Air Max '06 1 pair
3rd October eBay Air Max '03 7 pairs
Air Max '06 7 pairs
The first auction will take place on August 31, in conjunction with an event at NikeTown London. During this session one pair of both the Max 1 and the Max 90 will be put up for offer, with both styles then being posted for auction on eBay.
All eBay auctions will begin on each of the allocated Tuesdays at 00:00 hours, running for 7 days and finishing at 23:59 hours the following Monday.
About Ninemillion.org
Ninemillion.org is a innovative global campaign led by the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR), with founding partners Nike and Microsoft to raise awareness and funds to bring education and sport programs to the world's refugee youth. The campaign represents the nine million forgotten refugee youth across the globe, many of whom do not have the opportunity to learn and play. Nine million faces, nine million names. Nine million stories. For further information visit media.ninemillion.org
About the Marshall Mathers Foundation
The Marshall Mathers Foundation is a non-profit corporation set up to provide funds for organizations working with troubled youth in southeast Michigan.
Contacts
Interscope Records
Dennis Dennehy, 310-865-7934
or
Nike
Mark Rhodes, Mark.Rhodes@nike.com
