Nike Pauses Its Partnership With Tom Sachs
One of Nike’s most successful collaborators, Tom Sachs, has fallen out of favor with the Swoosh. The mastermind behind the Nike Mars Yard and General Purpose shoes has recently found himself in hot water. In March, a report published by Curbed stated that the artist fosters a hostile work environment. Since the news broke of Sach’s horrific treatment of employees, many wondered about his future with Nike. Complex recently got a read on the Swoosh’s thoughts about the situation.
There were many rumors from reputable sources regarding the release of a Mars Yard 3.0 this year. Given these rumors and the success of the General Purpose Shoe, 2023 was shaping up to be a big year for Nike’s partnership with Tom Sachs. After the allegations of workplace misconduct, Complex contacted Nike asking about their plans specifically for the Mars Yard 3.0. In a rare acknowledgment of the request, Nike responded, “We are not working with Tom’s studio at this time and have no release dates planned.” While vague, this response eliminates any possibility of the rumored Mars Yard 3.0 releasing any time soon. This response, however, does not seem to close the door to any future partnerships between Nike and Tom Sachs.
The partnership between Nike and Tom Sachs has been alive and well for over 10 years. The partnership, which was born in the creation of the Mars Yard 1.0, is one of Nike’s most successful and unique collaborative ventures. Together, Nike and Sachs were able to produce a desirable line of shoes and apparel which have been met with widespread critical acclaim. Most recently, their partnership brought us the General Purpose Shoe. The shoes are meant to be durable, plentiful, and boring. They have already been released in a multitude of colorways with more colorways and restocks planned for the near future. Given Nike’s comments, it appears that the General Purpose Shoe might have met its end as well.
What do you think about Nike’s decision to pause its partnership with Tom Sachs? Do you think that the duo will come together again in the future?
Feature Photo By: Nike
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