A swoosh and a schmear

MONDAY, JANUARY 9

Nike Dunk Low Montreal Bagel sneakers make news due to a press release: “Bringing fresh-baked style to the streets, this delicacy of a design rings you in with carb-lover colours, plus a pinch of Montreal blue for an extra shout-out to the city from la belle province.” Canadian retail price: $160.

THURSDAY, JANUARY 12

A snowstorm doesn’t stop people from lining up outside the Off the Hook boutique on Ste-Catherine Street, which will be the first store to sell the sneakers. Sneakerheads started showing up at 7 p.m., with hundreds more waiting in line by morning, when a food truck served coffee and bagels.

FRIDAY, JANUARY 13

The first buyers are asked whether they plan to wear their sesameseed shoes, keep them as a collector’s item, or resell their pair for a tasty profit. The following week, Philadelphia Cream Cheese unveils “Schmear Socks” in three flavours—and gets media attention despite never going on sale.

TUESDAY, JANUARY 10

Montreal illustrator Felipe Arriagda-Nunez (a.k.a Chien Champion) reveals in an Instagram posting that he was commissioned to design a shoebox that captures his own pride in the city. It features cartoon images of locations like Olympic Stadium, Chinatown, the Old Port and Mount Royal.