Virgil van Dijk with his custom Nike Air Force 1 trainers made by MattB Customs for WHOOP

WHOOP x Virgil van Dijk: A Custom Pair to Launch His Limited-Edition Band

To celebrate the release of Virgil van Dijk's limited-edition WHOOP band, WHOOP asked us to create a matching pair of sneakers inspired by the band's design - then invited us to present the finished pair to Virgil in person, at the product shoot.

Best fit for: a brand launching a limited-edition product with an athlete or ambassador, wanting a bespoke physical piece that ties directly into the design and doubles as standout content.

Virgil Van Dyke with his custom Nike Air Force 1's designed by Whoop to match his Whoop Band collab stood with Whoop CEO AhmedA design built around his number

The sneakers featured a vibrant illustration pattern built from Virgil's club and country number, 4, mirroring the design language of the limited-edition band itself.

How it was made

We printed the design onto fabric, then cut, glued and sewed it around the sneakers, finishing the pair with WHOOP branding and matching hand-painted panels.

Custom Nike Air Force 1 trainers for Virgil van Dijk being hand-finished by MattB Customs for WHOOP

Presented to Virgil, then given away

The finished pair was presented to Virgil directly at WHOOP's product shoot, and the moment was used as content across WHOOP's own social channels — including as part of an Instagram giveaway.

See our content on Instagram, and WHOOP's own coverage of the reveal.

Want a bespoke piece to launch your next product with an athlete or ambassador? Get in touch via our Work With Us page or email business@mattbcustoms.com, or browse our full Case Studies library for more examples.