Summer Stories: While You Were Sleeping
Just like that, we’re wide awake and back in. Over the past few years, A Ma Maniere’s standing amongst sneaker collaborators had waned. Between the retro Jordan 12s that are still sitting at outlets, the feeling that the burgundy color scheme had run its course, and the money laundering investigation, the star that once was had dimmed. Through it all, Nike remained committed to what had been one of their more powerful collaborators. Late last year as news of the investigation broke, the Jordan 5 release which had been slated for that window remained on track. Since then all has been quiet on the front. In a “what have you done for me lately” industry such as this one, sneakerheads moved on and shifted their focus. Leaks and rumors of upcoming A Ma Maniere releases have floated around the internet but details have remained foggy. That is, until yesterday. A Ma Maniere founder, James Whitner unveiled a sneaker collection celebrating A Ma’s tenth anniversary. The collection, which will be released gradually in the coming weeks, is the largest of its kind since Virgil Abloh’s Off-White ‘The Ten’ collection in 2017. The collection features six known pairs. Like ‘The Ten’ it offers silhouettes from every brand under the Nike umbrella, an Air Jordan 3, an Air Jordan 4, an Air Jordan 39, a Nike Air Force 1 Low, a Nike Air Max 95, and a Converse Weapon Low. Whitner also has hinted at a mystery seventh pair. A short film also entitled "While You Were Sleeping" will be released alongside the collection, which A Ma Maniere has defined as “our expression of a decade’s commitment to classic, timeless luxury in service of culture, pouring purpose and passion into every detail of our actions and moments.” With these sneakers, A Ma Maniere delivers the pristine craftsmanship, elevated materials, and familiar tones that sneakerheads have come to identify as markers of their work. In an environment where sneakerheads had begun to count A Ma Maniere out, this aptly titled collection has woken up the industry and once again places A Ma Maniere at the center of the sneaker world. For a brand like Nike that recently has felt exhausted of fresh ideas and has been seemingly content to coast on the coattails of sneakers, stories, and days gone by, this is excitingly new. While sneakerheads await the story that A Ma Maniere will tell with this project, one thing is clear: it is only just the beginning. Check out images of all the sneakers featured in the “While You Were Sleeping” collection below and let us know in the comments what pair you’re looking forward to the most.
