Photographed by: Jeremy Konko
This year as a part of Union’s ongoing relationship with Brand Jordan we are proud to introduce the first ever AJKO Low 1. The minute I saw this shoe I was immediately transported to my youth in the late 80’s when I would see my favorite rappers in magazines and on album covers rocking those clean looks. I consider this era the prehistory of the modern sneaker culture and to me this is where the foundations of this culture were laid and this AJKO Low 1 felt like it belonged to that era. An “instant classic”. So in designing Union’s take on this we wanted to lean into this time and really appreciate the simplicity of the shoe. We departed from our usual “disruptive nature” of shoe design and made some much more classic in order to highlight the indelible nature of this sneaker.
The AJKO 1 Low pays homage to the original AJKO hi sneaker that was originally released in 1986. What I am most excited about with this shoe is that it offers a new option for Brand Jordan fans in a low top version. I feel strongly that this design will be an instant classic and can be worn as an everyday shoe much like the Nike AF 1 low.
The theme for the apparel this season was a nod to the classic sportswear vibes as influenced by the Black and Latino cultures during the mid to late 80’s.
Taking inspo from the styling on old school rap covers and magazines of a time when it wasn’t so much about what exclusive item you were able to cop but more, how you styled yourself with more simple/classic garments. This is our call to action for yall to style yourself and take back dressing as a form of expression as opposed to a “drip flex” competition.
Enjoy and thanks for your continued support.
One Love
Union
