Jordan Brand will be welcoming new talent to the fold via their Jordan Design Studio program. Created to scout designers prior to them hitting the scene, the new initiative will cast a wider net than Jordans typical collaborators. The program will search for creatives whose work is already ingrained in the communities creating sneaker culture around the world.
The program will reach Seoul, Tokyo, Mexico City, New York City, Los Angeles, Chicago, Beijing, and Shanghai. Each city will have its own mentor, with Awake NY founder Angelo Baque, Union LA founder Chris Gibbs, and Chicago artist Nina Chanel Abney among the names announced so far.
Selected creatives will take part in local workshops built around the upcoming Air Jordan 1 “Love Letter.” Mentors will form their own groups and help guide the design process, giving participants a chance to rethink one of Jordan Brand’s most recognizable models through a local point of view.
Only one finalist will ultimately earn a place in the brand’s design story. That makes the Jordan Design Studio more than a short-term workshop series. It creates a possible route from independent creative work to an official Jordan project, something Baque and Gibbs understand from their own rise as trusted collaborators.
Jordan Brand has not announced a public release date or retail details for the Air Jordan 1 “Love Letter.” More information on the shoe, the selected design groups, and the final project is expected as the Jordan Design Studio moves forward across all eight cities.
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