Sneaker entrepeneur Frank Klerks: ‘The Nike Air Max 1 is iconic’

“I come from a small village, just outside Apeldoorn. My three brothers and I used to wreck everything back in the day. So our parents never gave us expensive shoes, only those sturdy hiking boots. In high school I discovered the sneaker. Friends wore popular brands like Adidas and Puma, but I immediately fell for Nike. The Nike Air Max 1 in particular. I thought it was cool that you could see the air unit, which provides the cushioning of the shoe.”

“I wanted to collect sneakers, but the shoes were far too expensive for me. That forced me to trade and deal, which I turned out to be pretty good at and I had a lot of fun doing it. At fifteen I started seriously collecting Nike Air Max sneakers. By now I have a collection of at least five thousand pairs. In 2015 I started the webshop www.outsole.nl from home with my friends Bas and Dennis, just as much sneakerheads as I am. Since then I have been selling Nike Air Max 1 sneakers exclusively, worldwide. No other brands or other Nike models, there is more than enough business in this niche. Makes sense, because this sneaker is absolutely iconic.”

“Nike launched this model in 1987. Marion Frank Rudy, a former NASA engineer, developed the air cushion that became the basis for the air unit. He pumped gas into a bag and placed it in the sole for extra cushioning. Phil Knight of Nike saw the potential of this technique and had Tinker Hatfield incorporate the idea into the design of the first Air Max models. The Air Max 1 was the first sports shoe with a visible air unit in the sole. Initially that was seen as too extreme, but the shoe quickly became popular, partly thanks to commercials featuring Michael Jordan and John McEnroe. Nowadays you see celebrities like Barack Obama, Kanye West and Kraantje Pappie wearing the Air Max 1.”

“Running Outsole.nl is a full-time job for me now. Although I don’t see it as work at all, more like a hobby that got out of hand. Can I make a living from it? Absolutely, although it won’t make me a millionaire. I was able to buy my office building, so that is a nice pension provision. Sneakers are a popular investment object these days, sometimes with enormous increases in value. For example, you can buy the HUF White Pear from me for 7,500 euros. And that is not even the most expensive one.”

“How I determine the selling price of a shoe depends on quite a few factors: demand, the production run and the condition of the sneaker. I check every pair I buy for authenticity, condition and material consistency: think of stitching, labels, smell and sole pattern. I also consider laces an important part of the shoe. I have laces produced myself because the existing quality and thickness of laces are often not good enough. My customers can choose lace types, with a wide range of lengths, colors and finishes.”

“Sourcing is not a problem. Many people offer me their Nikes, and I often buy complete collections from other collectors. In addition, I obviously keep looking for rare vintage models from the early years. I regularly go to conventions, where we have the biggest booth. Building a booth takes a lot of time and effort; I do that together with a team of friends. I don’t do it so much for the business, conventions are mainly great for meeting other enthusiasts.”

“I see myself doing this for many years to come, and I’m not afraid this sneaker will ever go out of fashion. The Nike Air Max 1 is not sensitive to trends, it has always been popular since its launch. As an enthusiast, I obviously think that’s only logical!”

Who: Frank Klerks (34)
What: Owner of webshop www.outsole.nl, selling Nike Air Max 1 sneakers

This interview was originally published on June 9, 2026 in Financial Focus by ABN AMRO MeesPierson, written by the Financial Focus editorial team.