Former and current U.S. candidate Donald J. TrumpTrump) and related entities have been peddling all the merchandise they've been peddling over the past few months — *chocolate, wine, superhero NTSs — and what could be more Trump-esque than the $399 Never Surrender sneakers that were launched at the Sneaker Con in Philadelphia over the weekend? They are like a roadmap for Trump's value system and election strategy.
The gold-plated heels glittered like the chandeliers of Mar-a-Lago, and an American flag was wrapped around his ankles, like the forest of flags that Mr. Trump would fly behind him every time he took office. Their red soles match his signature red tie (and flag), perhaps a sly nod to Christian Louboutins and the semiotics of luxury footwear. Moreover, on the sides and tongue there is a large relief "T".
While they're "bold, golden, tough, and Trump-like," according to Trump sneakers**, allowing potential owners to "be a part of history," they don't have any technical performance attributes. Although they are similar in shape to the Nike Air Force 15 (got it?). Air Force One! They are unabashed parodies of the original.
It's easy to dismiss it as a gimmick and marketing ploy with no substance. Michael Tyler, a spokesman for the Biden campaign, did just that, saying, "Donald Trump has come out to peddle bootleg off-white, and this is the closest he's ever come to the Air Force in his life." ”
Or think of them as Trump's response to the Biden campaign's appearance on TikTok: an effort to connect oneself to the coolness inherent in the entire idea of sneaker culture, not to mention the energy and sportsmanship of the "just do it" model. This is despite the fact that Trump himself almost never wears sneakers and does not do much sports.
However, the business deal is more dangerous than it initially seems.
Since the sneaker's debut, there have been a lot of scoffs at it, and others have joked that Trump has to make more money somewhere, given the millions of dollars in fines he has been handed over in various civil cases. His appearance at Sneaker Con got a lot of attention (it's fair to say that the sneaker fan community isn't the market for sneakers, as there's nothing original about them; This is MAGA Marketplace. )