Nike Limited Edition Releases
Limited edition football boots, also known as LE's, have always existed within the football boot market. In recent seasons Nike have elevated the hype and demand that come with such boots - most recently in the shape of the 1998 Mercurial Vapor XV.
Some people like limited editions simply because they're limited editions. More than any other brand, Nike are driving a new demand for limited edition football boots. Enthusiasts, usually those with a few bucks to spare, share huge adjuration for one-off boot models that are separate from the brand's mass manufactured designs.
In the sneaker world, just about every major shoe company releases limited edition models and exclusive colourways. This subculture has been embraced by Nike more than any other brand and now football is adopting a similar mindset. The notion of scarcity increasing demand transcends all sport. The shoes with the most value are those with the smallest numbers.
Nike's line of LE boots pre-date what we have here. In 2008 they were way ahead of the game, releasing the Mercurial SL Carbon. Quickly they became the most in-demand boots in the world, with only 2,508 pairs produced. Since then, Nike have continued to create a new genre of football boots designed to generate pure hype and noise.
The imposed limit set on these boots mean they are gone before they really arrive. Last year Nike released the GS Concept - their fastest, lightest and greenest football boot ever made. They were a huge success, but the mad dash of fans fighting to pick up a pair wasn't because of the boots themselves. Nike produced just 2012 pairs worldwide, meaning despite the $300 price-tag and the boots unknown performance reputation, they were sold-out in a matter of hours.
The key to maintaining a boots desirability is killing it while it's hot. Despite launching a successor to the original GS, the GS 2 marked the end of Nike's super-light concept shoe. Known as 'ditrubtive launches', these boots are released to do just that. Arrive with a bang before making an abrupt retirement from the game.
Nike's new age of super limited models was taken even further following the release of the Mercurial CR Vapor IX. The exclusivity of these boots made them the Holy Grail of limited editions. With just 100 pairs produced, they became Nike's most exclusive boot release to date. Boot fanatics went into a frenzy, but with some retailers balloting the opportunity to purchase a pair, it didn't just come down to who was the quickest.
The recent launch of the 1998 Mercurial Vapor XV signals further intent from Nike to bring new energy to limited edition releases. Launched to commemorate 15 years of the Nike Mercurial and the player who inspired them, just 1998 pairs were made available worldwide. Unsurprisingly it didn't take long for Nike's global allocation to sell out.
The idea of bringing old Mercurial designs to new-age models is something Nike have experimented with before. In 2007 to mark the 10 year anniversary of the Mercurial, Nike reissued the iconic black white 1998 Mercurial R9. The boot was based on the current model at the time - the Mercurial Vapor III - and was limited to just 100 pairs worldwide.
The way it's looking, we're hopeful for more limited edition releases from Nike this year and the next. Whether they're concept models or reissues, we expect Nike have some exciting plans for the near future. Let us know which past Nike boots you'd like to see again. Join the conversation online, on Twitter and on Facebook.
