The allure of Venice, together with fine Italian craftsmanship, make their way to this BAIT-produced version of the Diadora N9000.
The story goes that BAIT was invited to the Diadora headquarters in Caerano di San Marco to design a collaborative sneaker that would highlight Italy’s penchant for premium materials and superior craftsmanship. Taking inspiration from the beautiful sights in Venice, BAIT went to the drawing board and eventually produced the BAIT x Diadora N9000 “Notti Veneziane”, which translates to “Venetian Night”.
Proudly made in Italy, the sneaker utilizes premium leather sourced from Italian tanneries. Cow leather with a snakeskin pattern forms the upper, while augusta and apricot leather are used for the underlays. Like all good leather, those used on the “Notti Veneziane” will age with wear, developing a patina unique to the wearer.
Nubuck pull-tabs, brand logo debossing on the heel and tongue, as well as “Made in Italy” gold foil lettering on the insole add to the appeal of this sneaker, and if that isn’t enough, actual sand from Italy has been mixed into the outsole, providing a speckled appearance and paying tribute to the beautiful country.
Four lace options are included, which, coupled with the backstory and well-executed material choice, makes the price tag of US$220 pretty reasonable. The BAIT x Diadora N9000 “Notti Veneziane” will be available on January 9th, at BAIT chapter stores and online via raffle. Good luck!
To see more Diadora sneakers, check out December 2015’s edition of Straat Your Stuff.