If you’re into sneakers, you know DJ Clark Kent. The Brooklyn native has more or less been the face of sneakers for the past two decades. We’re not talking “sneakers” like mainstream, the guy on the train becomes your new best friend to get a pair. We’re talking about living and breathing the culture, community and lifestyle of a sneakerhead. Of course, he’d tell you none of those things exist and he just likes to stay fresh. If staying fresh is what it’s about, then the DJ Clark Kent x Nike 112 Pack from back in 2008 was the unofficial start of fresh in the sneaker business.
Despite what most people may be aware of, Clark has been behind the scenes helping brands like Nike for years. It just so happens that the first time his name was officially attached to one of the projects he worked on(and spread across the sneaker blogs) was back in 2008 with the “112 Pack” that included the Nike Air Max 1, Nike Air Trainer 1 and of course, Clark’s go-to silhouette, the Nike Air Force 1.
Despite some of the misleading info that might be out there that has claimed it was a number of different things, according to an interview with Complex, Clark said, “112 is the name of the colorway, and it also represents Brooklyn.” We’ll leave it at that.
The color combination of the 112 Pack, and subsequent Friends & Family releases that DJ Clark Kent has created over the years like the LeBron 8 112, combines some of the most important elements that Nike has used over the years, including “Volt” or “Neon” (depending on who you ask), Elephant Print (especially that black woo!), and reflective material (who doesn’t love 3M on their shoes?). The combination is one that not only created a hot pack back in 2008 but, like Clark himself, it’s stood the test of time.
Basically, if the 112 Pack we’re a mixed drink, it would be a Long Island Brooklyn that you can’t put down and leads to one of those nights filled with stories that are told for years to come that you will never forget. That said, cheers to God’s Favorite DJ, DJ Clark Kent who turns 50 today. Here’s to many more 112 releases in the future.
