A sneaker that began as a one-of-one for Désiré Doué's World Cup debut, plus a look straight from the tailor's studio: Nike makes the 21-year-old Frenchman the face of its latest project.
Désiré Doué gets his own look from Nike Atelier, the Swoosh's handcrafted high-end line. At its centre is the Merc Premium, a sneaker with an unusual backstory: Nike first created it as a one-of-one for Doué's World Cup tournament debut, and a limited release now follows.
Nike Atelier sees itself as a platform for custom designs for selected athletes in defining moments away from the pitch. "Atelier takes the same athlete-driven mindset and love of craft that define Nike innovation and brings them to moments where personality, context and culture play an equally important role," says Martin Lotti, Chief Design Officer at Nike. Before Doué, the line had already realised projects with tennis stars Jannik Sinner and Maria Sharapova.
Désiré Doué: the Merc Premium connects Mercurial and Pegasus
Doué plays for France at the ongoing World Cup and for Paris Saint-Germain at club level. The sneaker itself is a piece of memory work. The leather upper references the 1998 Mercurial, the boot that became a symbol of speed football with Brazil's Ronaldo Fenomeno. Underneath sits the Pegasus' full-length Air Zoom unit, with the cushioning glowing in blue. A fold-over tongue with a subtle "NIKE ATELIER" embossing and quilted detailing complete the design.
In the campaign, the 21-year-old pairs the sneaker with a jacket and shorts in stonewashed grey, made from water-repellent technical wool with a breathable Aerofit lining drawn from Nike Football innovation. Whether the apparel will also go on sale is something Nike has left open so far.
Désiré Doué x Nike Atelier: when and where to get the Merc Premium
The Merc Premium comes in black and white. From July 9, both colorways are available for pre-order at Nike HOI Paris and Nike Soho in New York, with the black version also at Nike Lab Paris. From July 10, pre-orders open on the SNKRS app.
