I Made My Own Sneaker! M251

TL;DR

The M251 is Marques Brownlee’s comfortable daily mid-top sneaker, created with Adams after more than two years of design and materials work. It combines synthetic leather, recycled mesh, elastic laces, a custom sole, copper lining, and inspiration from shoes including NMDs, Jordan 1s, Blazers, and Off-White collaborations. Read on to discover how dozens of samples shaped its fit, support, comfort, and details.

Transcript

foreign I almost can't believe we're finally here I've reviewed so many products over my Lifetime on YouTube that's almost ridiculous and the question always comes up in the background well Marquez when are you gonna make design your own product right so two years of materials work and design work and basically a lifetime of inspiration later I'm a... Read More

Key Insights

• 👞 Marques Brownlee has partnered with Adams to create his own shoe, the M251.
• 🥡 The design process for the M251 took over two years and involved creating numerous prototypes.
• 🎨 The M251 combines elements from different shoe styles, resulting in a unique and comfortable design.
• 😩 Marques encourages users to wear the M251 daily and not be afraid to get them dirty.

Questions & Answers

Q: What is the M251 sneaker?

The M251 is Marques Brownlee’s first sneaker, created in collaboration with Adams. It is designed as a comfortable daily mid-top rather than a full high-top or low-top.

Q: Why is Marques Brownlee’s sneaker called M251?

The number refers to the length of Marques Brownlee’s first YouTube technology video, which was 2 minutes and 51 seconds. He describes that early video and the sneaker as new beginnings.

Q: How long did the M251 design process take?

The M251 required more than two years of materials and design work. Marques and Adams went through dozens of samples before reaching the final version.

Q: Which shoes inspired the M251 design?

Marques drew from the light weight of NMDs, the silhouette of Jordan 1s, and the sole and elastic laces of Adams shoes. Small details were also inspired by Blazers and Off-White collaborations.

Q: What materials are used in the M251 upper?

The upper combines synthetic leather with recycled mesh fabric. The material balance is intended to make the shoe breathable while still providing support.

Q: How was the M251 tested?

Once working prototypes were available, Marques wore them for weeks as his everyday shoes. Some prototypes had fit, support, or material problems, so the design was revised through many samples.

Q: What comfort and support features does the M251 have?

Its outsole is designed to support the shoe without collapsing, while the midsole remains soft for comfort. The shoe also has a slight heel-to-toe drop and a custom insole that softly cups the foot.

Q: What functional details are included in the M251?

The M251 includes flexible elastic laces, a functional rear loop, and copper lining described as naturally antimicrobial and helpful for preventing odors. It also features Marques’s signature and size stamp on the tongue, a New York City tag, and stitched 251 detailing.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• Marques Brownlee has collaborated with Adams to create his own shoe called the M251 after years of reviewing products on YouTube.

• The shoe combines elements from different shoes that Marques likes, such as the lightweightness of NMDs and the silhouette of Jordan Ones.

• The design process involved creating multiple prototypes and testing them extensively, resulting in a comfortable daily mid-top shoe.