---
title: "Reebok Club C 85 (Menthol)"
date: 2021-09-16T18:12:35-04:00
categories: [shoes, reebok]
tags: [club c, white]
draft: false
---

![Reebok Club C 85 [Chalk, Heritage Teal, Cool Shadow]](/images/reebokclubc85mentholstock.jpg)

I bought these shoes because they reminded me of a menthol cigarette. That's 
a bit of an oversimplification, so let me explain: back in 2006, following 
the praise of BAPE's "bootleg" of the Air Force 1, the "Bapestas," fellow 
sneakerhead Ari Saal Forman released a 252 pairs of the "Ari Menthol 10s" in 
a sample run to a couple of smaller retailer in New York.

The Ari Menthol 10s were a spin on the Air Force 1 that inverted the Nike 
"Swoosh" Logo, making it more resemble the branding of Newport Cigarettes; 
they were a criticism of "the two brands who have taken the most and given 
the least": Nike and Newport, who've both in some capacity, exploited and 
profitted from the Black American community. Neither Nike nor Newport were 
happy about this product, so they sued Ari into oblivion.

These are just a classic tennis shoe in a colourway that happens to resemble 
a menthol cigarette, but they'll always remind me of that piece of "lore" I 
mentioned earlier.