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The go-to sneaker shop in SA has bagged an international collaboration, the result of which is a must-cop. Phumlani S Langa speaks with Nick Herbert about this exciting development.
Sneaker composites will be happy to know that the reputable and well-respected sneaker store, Shelflife, will be releasing a new collaboration with the seminal Air Jordan.
Nick Herbert, the founder and creative director at Shelflife, has been at the epicentre of local sneaker culture since 2006.
“This opportunity came about in a multitude of ways, and our stars really aligned. Jordan brand was looking to shine the spotlight on underserved Jordan communities globally. Out of the whole EMEA region [Europe, the Middle East and Africa], Shelflife was the number one choice.”
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Shelflife has always worked closely with Nike SA and pushed the Jordan brand through activations, education and consumer journeys, with this outlet the number one choice.
Jordan, made famous by the basketball player from the US who is universally regarded as the greatest baller of all time, has an extensive range with timeless cuts like the Jordan I, Cement III or Infrared VI.
“The Jordan II specifically was chosen for us, and we were invited to collab on it. We jumped at the chance because it is very elusive in the early lineage of Jordans.
“We felt it really fitting that the Jordan II was underserved and so was our community. We felt it was a fantastic opportunity to marry the two and tell an incredible story.
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“I worked closely on the design with Jordan special projects designer JP Managa.
“We also got major design feedback on sampling stages from our whole team, which was great. Each team member got their signature on the inner soles of the footwear.”
He says the reception so far on the collab has been incredible.
The beauty in kicks usually lies in the story housed in the shoe. You can get a street team and bombard billboards on all the byways in the country but, without something more than a shoe for us to buy into, what’s the point. Herbert is more than cognisant of this.
“The overall concept behind this sneaker, and the basic platform and idea we wanted to get across on this was “Team Only”. Focusing on a community closest to us. Our own team. Starting with this narrative and pushing it into the design.”
He explains how the word “team” is featured on the apparel pack throughout, and it also appears on the inner tongues of the footwear.
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“As mentioned, every team member’s signature is featured, like a team signing at the end of a winning season, or trophy room.”
Now we can’t just be rocking sneakers these days without being mindful of how these works of art are created and how sustainable a piece is.
“We would have loved to have pushed more sustainable practices on this, however, it was not part of the aesthetic given and narrative on the final sampling.
“We cannot, unfortunately, say how many pairs were produced, however, we do have pairs available for sale on our website on shelflife.co.za.”
Shelflife will be focusing on this collaboration for the remainder of the year, with a few other smaller link-ups in the pipeline, which you can be sure to read about on the pages of Trending.
