It is hard to know whether it will cross the Atlantic to our shores but a promotional show by Watches of Switzerland at its lower Manhattan showroom last week that combined unique timepieces with rare sporting footwear is certainly an interesting concept.
One barrier might be the name of the event, Sneaker Time, which might need to be translated to Trainer Time for the UK market and could be confusing for a Google search.
But selling high end watches alongside limited edition sporting footwear is certainly more logical than it might at first appear because both are highly collectible with the rarest examples rocketing in value and becoming investment class assets.
Watches of Switzerland New York presented 15 combinations of unique timepieces and rare sneakers in collaboration with Stadium Goods, an online sneaker and streetwear marketplace.
The aim was to bring together two groups of equally passionate and knowledgeable enthusiasts. It took place at the store’s lower ground floor, which has been recently revamped into a flexible event space.
“With the renovation of our lower level and innovative programming like Sneaker Time, we are creating a dynamic new platform that will allow us to engage with an even broader community,” says David Hurley, executive vice president of Watches of Switzerland. “We’re all about giving people an experience they can’t get anywhere else.”
Watches from Girard Perregaux, Grand Seiko, Hublot, HYT, IWC, Jacob & Co., Tudor, and Ulysse Nardin, and others are paired with including Nike’s Paranorman, Fragment x Air Jordan 1 and ultra-rare Adidas NMD Hu Trail sneakers designed by Pharrell in collaboration with Chanel.
Watches of Switzerland’s lower Manhattan showroom is located in Soho, a neighbourhood famous for its younger, creative crowd — think London’s Shoreditch or Manchester’s Northern Quarter — so presenting collectible sporting footwear alongside top end timepieces is bang on message for the affluent hipster target market.
