Nike launches sneakers inspired by Montréal’s iconic bagel
This article was updated on January 12, 2023.
The Montréal bagel is making a splash, or should we say, dunk, in the Nike-o-sphere. The footwear giant is releasing a veritable ode to MTL’s most iconic food with its Dunk Low Montréal Bagel sneaker.
Boasting “carb-lover colours”, artful sprinklings of sesame seed motifs, plus a blue swoosh in a nod to la belle province (and, we’re pretty sure, insoles that look like hardwood floors) Nike, who partnered with Montréal-based retailer Off the Hook, has come up with some truly Montréal-inspired footwear. Thanks to the help of local agency LNDMRK, Nike brought in the help of Montreal-based illustrator Felipe Arriagada-Nunez, aka Chien Champion. The custom-designed box inspired by the cityscape and key features of Montreal tells the story of the city, and depicts key landmarks, such as the Mount Royal, Van Horne and the Olympic Stadium.
Our much-beloved sesame-dotted rings are an integral part of the city’s food identity. The Montréal bagel, in particular, has a huge fan base thanks to how it is made: rolled by hand, poached in honey water and baked to perfection in a wood-fired oven. Crispy and chewy snack magic.
Montréal bagels have even been brought up to space, a feat that very few among us can rival. In 2008, NASA astronaut Gregory Chamitoff, cousin of the owner of Montréal’s Fairmount Bagel, requested them as a special treat for his stay at the International Space Station. Far out!
The city’s ongoing – albeit friendly – rivalry between the city’s two most famous bagel shops is the stuff of Montréal lore. The aforementioned Fairmount Bagel or St-Viateur Bagels? People love weighing in, but there’s still no clear-cut winner. Soon, patrons will also be able to taste the toasty delights from Kettlemans Bagel, opening up across from the Bell Centre. The Montréal bagel debate just got another contender.
As the lead retailer for this release, Off the Hook will be hosting a special early access launch of the Dunk Low Montréal Bagel on Friday, January 13th at 11:00 AM, exclusively in-store. It goes on sale at Nike on January 17, 2023, so make like a bagel and get them while they’re hot. If there are any left, you can also pick up a pair at the huge new Nike store that will be opening in downtown Montréal’s Eaton Centre in spring 2023.
Slam dunk for the Dunk Low Montréal Bagel!
Rebecca Sellers
Hailing originally from the big country skies of Manitoba, Rebecca adopted Montréal over 20 years ago after living in Québec City and France as a student. When she is not writing, translating or teaching English, she can be found pedaling the city’s bike paths, strolling the streets in search of hidden gems, and striking up conversations with local merchants, creators and folks in the neighbourhood.