Last weekend the Patta x Nike Air Max 1 'Chlorophyll' was released, a 'holy grail' for many sneaker lovers. The sneaker was first released in 2006 as part of the Patta '5th Anniversary' pack. In 2024, the Amsterdam-based label celebrated its 20th anniversary by bringing back this iconic release.
The sneaker was released both online and instore. Sneakerjagers also went to the Zeedijk in Amsterdam to check out the release and speak to people in line.
Patta x Nike Air Max 1 'Chlorophyll'
Perhaps this year's most remarkable release: the comeback of the Patta x Nike Air Max 1 'Chlorophyll'. In 2006, Amsterdam-based label Patta joined forces with Nike to celebrate their 5-year anniversary. The duo released five colorways of the Nike Air Max 1: 'Purple Denim', '5th Anniv', 'Lucky Green', 'Cherrywood' (in collaboration with Piet Parra), and the 'Chlorophyll'.
Especially for their 20th anniversary, Patta brought back the 'Chlorophyll'. The sneaker was the first Air Max 1 in the pack and stood out for its bright green colours. The colorway was, and still is, much loved by many and falls under the 'Holy Grail' category.
Earlier in 2024, the first rumours of the re-release of the 'Chlorophyll' were circulating. On September 13, 2024, the time finally came: exactly 15 years after its original release, the Air Max 1 was re-released in honour of Patta's 20th anniversary.
In-store release
The Patta x Nike Air Max 1 'Chlorophyll' was released online and in-store. The exact time of the release was announced shortly before the drop, to prevent people from queuing. This did not deter die-hard fans, however, as early in the morning the first customers were already anxiously awaiting their pair.
Around seven in the morning, the Sneakerjagers team arrived at the Zeedijk, the location of the Amsterdam store. The first attendees could already be seen in the streets surrounding the Patta flagship store, recognisable by their sneakers. Various colorways of the Patta x Nike 'The Wave' passed by, along with the Patta x Nike Air Max 90 'Homegrown' and other releases from the duo.
To avoid having people with tents in front of the store, the release was strictly regulated. Everyone was given their ranking number at the beginning of the day. The earlier one was present, the higher on the list. Every so often there was a check-up, at which everyone had to be present. Those who were not there lost their place on the list.
In line
Sneakerjagers was also present on the Zeedijk and spoke with people in line. With sleepy eyes, those at the front of the line told us they had been there since Wednesday afternoon, some 48 hours before the release. With camping chairs, sleeping bags, and much-needed cans of Red Bull, they kept themselves awake in anticipation of the sneaker's final drop.
Even though Patta is a Dutch brand and has a large fan base here, the brand is also a big success internationally. Many of the attendees came from different parts of Europe, from France to Germany to Poland. Especially for this release, they had come to Amsterdam to get their own copy - and with success.
Around 9 in the morning, the first on the list were sent from the quay to the Zeedijk, where they were allowed to wait for the last two hours before the release. Those waiting were lined up just in front of the store and formed a line that ran far across the quay. Exactly how many people were standing there was not counted, but the number was around three hundred.
“It was worth the wait”
The store's doors opened at 11:00am sharp. Patta founders Edson Sabajo and Guillaume 'Gee' Schmidt also attended the release, as did Tim Sabajo. In small groups, the first ones were let in to get their sneaker, along with merch and a matching Patta tote bag.
The first lucky people came out a few minutes after the drop with a Patta bag containing the 'Chlorophyll'. Sneakerjagers spoke with some people in line who had just gotten their copy. Full of pride, they held the green Air Max 1. “This was worth the wait,” sneaker collector LuckyDice told us.
Gradually, everyone was let into the store and a few hours after the drop, the Patta x Nike Air Max 1 'Chlorophyll' sold out. The release was a huge success, and the drop in the Patta app later in the day also sold out in no time.
Patta celebrated their 20th anniversary the next night with a party at the Melkweg in Amsterdam. In short, a successful anniversary for the label. On behalf of Sneakerjagers: congratulations on this milestone!
See more images from the release on the Zeedijk, Amsterdam below.
