The world of customs has gone from passion project to a multi-million dollar business. Some of the footwear industry's biggest players have tapped well-established creatives for special projects, co-signing the customizer profession. And while brands like Nike, Inc. have made strides when it comes to experimental designs, they still fall short of meeting some enthusiasts' needs.
Take Omar Mendoza as an example. Right-back for Mexican football club Querétaro FC, the 36-year-old recently laced up a custom pair of Mercurial Vapor 16 boots inspired by Travis Scott's Air Jordan 1 Low OG "Royal" collaboration with fragment design from 2021. Mendoza and his undisclosed customization squad went beyond a simple paint job—they sewed on different components to the performance model to bring Scott's highly-coveted vision to the pitch.
Although Mendoza and his Querétaro side lost to Pumas UNAM on Friday, July 25, the custom pair of Mercurials endured the full 90 minutes of the match. Air Jordan text and fragment's bolt logos appear on the spine, while "La Flame"'s go-to reverse swoosh lands on the lateral profiles.
Nike, Inc. and its competitors have previously brought hype, self-referential styles to performance footwear. Following a slew of customs inspired by iconic colorways and designs from throughout the Swoosh conglomerate for Odell Beckham Jr., the Oregon-based institution launched an Air Max 95-inspired Mercurial with the help of Kylian Mbappé. Virgil Abloh's OFF-WHITE also reimagined the Mercurial series through a streetwear lens.
In early 2022, Italy's Laboratorio 17 crafted a special Mercurial Vapor 14 also referencing the "Royal" AJ1 collaboration for Inter Milan’s Federico Dimarco. France's Marcus Thuram worked with Footpack and Soub in November 2021 to develop a similar custom.
At the Three Stripes, U.S. football cleats inspired by the popular Yeezy 350 "Turtle Dove" sneaker released in limited quantities during the 2010s.
Earlier in the year, it was reported that Travis Scott was working on two pairs from the Nike Mercurial Vapor franchise. Although evidence to support the rumor has yet to surface, the Houston-native hasn't been secretive about his current fascination with "the beautiful game." The UTOPIA artist has helped Nike Football (soccer stateside) promote its "Toma El Juego" tournament inspired by the street football once on display in Joga Bonito ads throughout the 2000s.
In October 2023, a "Neutral Olive" pair of Air Jordan 1 Low Golf shoes launched with Cactus Jack co-branding. The move confirms both Nike, Inc.'s understanding of how to energize performance product and Scott's revolving roster of interests.
With the 2026 FIFA World Cup coming to Nike, Inc.'s backyard, it's likely more hype football boots will surfaced—both through official and custom channels. Mendoza might be the latest culprit, but surely he won't be the last.
Check out all available football product on Nike.com right now, and see what's new from the retro Total 90 line when you're done.
