Ari Forman

Ari Forman (also known as Ari Saal Forman) is an American designer. He is known for his work on the Ari Menthol 10s bootleg sneaker, which garnered international attention when Nike and Newport Cigarettes' parent company Lorillard forced Forman to stop selling the sneaker parody.
In 2009, Cease & Desist, a short film about Forman's Ari Menthol 10s and the ensuing legal issues, was directed and produced by John Carluccio. Similar documentaries about Forman and his controversial Ari Menthol 10s were also produced by VICE News.
Career
Forman started his career as a designer in the Philadelphia music industry. He began designing flyers and handmade fashion accessories for people on the local music scene, which led to designing logos and album covers for hip hop artists. His work in the local Philadelphia music scene with the well-known label Ruffhouse Records, and famous hip hop artists of the era, drew the attention of the music industry in New York City.
The sneakers contain a tag sewn into the inside with the words: "This sneaker is dedicated to the two brands who have taken the most and given the least. Thanks for the motivation... Now it's OUR Turn!!!"
The sneakers used Newport's iconic turquoise, green and white colors and displayed the Newport Spinnaker logo that resembles an upside-down Nike Swoosh. Other sneaker details included the in-sole designed to look like the common orange toned cigarette filter pattern, the tiny stars underneath the toe of the Nike Air Force 1 sole replaced by dollar signs, the ochre colors laces to represent the Newport pack gold stripe and pull-tab ribbon used to remove the pack cellophane, the shoebox resembling a working scale Newport cigarette pack including the foil insert, the text "Ari" replacing the "Nike" name over the Swoosh logo, the Surgeon General's cigarette smoking warning label edited to read "General Warning: Get Off The BrandWagon!" Each box came with a pair of sneakers, a black framed mock Newport ad created by Forman, a glass ashtray with screen printed ARI logo and an extra pair of shoelaces. They were released on June 17, 2006, and were sold exclusively via the Alife and Clientele boutiques in New York City. People waited and slept outside in lines for more than 24 hours to ensure their ability to buy a pack/pair. The sneaker and whole project have become a cult classic and sought-after collectable among sneakerheads. The shoes became "banned," and as a result, Forman cannot legally own a pair of the Menthol 10s or profit from them.
Forman continues to work in graphic design, art, sneaker design, and fashion design.

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