When you see something for the first time, and you just can't help but say: "What the" - you most likely encountered something out of the ordinary.

There is a strong power of creating such a shocking effect. Some brands realize the desire of the contemporary customer for thrill, to stand out from the crowd and to be part of something bigger.

With the creation of the "What The" series, Nike has proved not only the understanding of that, but the brand's ability to make it a huge succes.

In 2007 Nike first launched the concept with its (now iconic) “What The” Dunk Low - which was anything but usual. The shoe had basically zero consistency, the left shoe was totally different from the right one, the colors and the patterns did not match in any way.

However, inside this maze that every "What the" shoe seems to be like - there is a deeper message:

Each part/texture/color of these special edition shoes has a significance, which is either historic, or it brings elements from previous versions of the same shoe.

The concept reminds me of the historic tradition of quilting, which has been around since the 1600's. Quilting is still a popular form of art, where family members present each other with a blanket sewn together from multiple, unique pieces, each representing something meaningful to the family.

Guess what? The “What The” Dunk Low totally shook the sneaker industry and started an absolute hype, which continues today.

In the recent years, Kobe Bryant and Lebron James both got their signature "What The" pairs. For the 6th edition of the "What The" Kevin Durant, sneaker fans were fighting for a chance to enter a raffle that would give them the opportunity to purchase one of these limited edition pairs.

After the sweeping success of the series in Basketball, Nike brings the craze into the world of tennis, and picks who else but the King of Clay, Rafael Nadal.

Rafa claimed the French Open title an unprecedented 11 times - each year rocking a tennis shoe from Nike.

For the 2019 French Open, Nike has done something extraordinary, for a living legend.

The brand took one "piece" of each of the 11 winning shoes, and combined them into the "What The" Rafa (or Cage 3 Glove), which he will wear at this year's Roland Garros as he is chasing his 12th title.

In some ways, this is Nike's way of giving that quilted "blanket" to one of its beloved family members.

The "What The" Rafa does not try to fit in, it does not want to be liked by everyone and it does not apologize.

It is a living piece of history, combining elements from the Spanish legend's first victory of the tournament in 2005 - all the way until the most recent one in 2018.

One thing is guaranteed: this Cage 3 Glove "What The" Rafa limited edition will make you feel like you are part of a true legacy.

We are extremely happy to be able to offer you this highly anticipated shoe starting May 26th.