Inside the Jae Tips and Saucony Originals Partnership That Created the FNAA Collaboration of the Year

Peter Verry
·5 min read

On Nov. 29, Jae Tips and Saucony Originals will be honored with the Collaboration of the Year award at the 37th annual FN Achievement Awards. Below is an article from the magazine’s Nov. 27 print issue about the partnership between the multihyphenate and the sneaker brand that led to the bold take on the Grid Azura 2000 silhouette. 

Jae Tips felt confident he could create something sneakerheads would love. He just needed a shot.

More from Footwear News

“I knew I had a pathway to people. I was someone people believed in and rallied behind. I felt like if I ever got a chance with a company that I could really do something special,” the 33-year-old told FN.

Saucony Originals gave Jae Tips that chance with its Grid Azura 2000, resulting in a vividly colored and patterned version that released in May and became an instant hit with his fans — and also attracted scores of new customers to the label.

The shoe continues to be highly coveted on the resale market, with asking prices of $1,100 for certain sizes.

“What made the Azura from Jae so impactful was you could see the passion and care he took to create it,” said Julie Hogg, co-owner and CEO of Wish ATL, which hosted a special event with Jae Tips for the release. “I think that speaks to why there was such a positive response. Everyone could feel it.”

The shoe was aptly titled “Remember Who Fronted” — which was not a shot at those who have passed on working with him but proof of the designer’s faith in himself.

Jae Tips, whose real name is John Cotton, wears many hats. He is a prolific rapper, who has released 13 albums to date. He launched an apparel brand, Savior, in 2019, and is a frequent headwear collaborator of Hat Club and New Era.

Through his many endeavors, the Bronx, N.Y., native has developed a community that is engaged and eager to see him win.

“Over the years, I’ve made a conscious effort on sending people genuine text messages, thanking people, making people feel like they were part of my process. Those same people began to root for me,” Jae Tips said. “I continue to work extremely hard and do creative things because I have this army of people who stand beside me, and they want something to cheer for.”

The Saucony Originals project marks his first official sneaker collaboration to date, but the look was actually inspired by a bespoke Nike Air Force 1 he created at the now-closed NikeLab 21 Mercer store in New York City in May 2019. (That was not a brand collaboration but notable enough to receive ample coverage from sneaker publications.)

Jae Tips’ design for the Grid Azura 2000 was thoughtful, and the sneaker featured several hidden gems throughout.

For instance, he employed animal print on the uppers — a nod to the beloved Atmos x Nike Air Max 1 collaboration — and the shade of blue was inspired by the “Invisible Woman” Nike Air Force 1 that he cut school to purchase in the 11th grade. He also took cues from the Balenciaga Runners with the honeycomb mesh, while the checkerboard print at the heels is a nod to his favorite rapper, the late Nipsey Hussle. And the “Made by Jae Tips” embroidered on the sockliner was inspired by the Air Force 1 collab with famed New York pizzeria Scarr’s.

“If you only get one opportunity ever, you’ve got to be able to impress people, you’ve got to show people that you deserve it. This was me wanting to be able to show how you can look at a shoe and want to know everything about the person,” said Jae Tips.

Jason Faustino, senior global brand manager for collaborations at Saucony, described the designer as having a “savant brain” for choosing colors and had a concept prepared before their first meeting.

What wasn’t clear from the start was the silhouette. Faustino recalled, “He was sitting with all these shoes in his arms, his lap and then he said, ‘I think it’s this one.’ It was the Grid Azura 2000. I was like, ‘You sure?’ I’m a huge fan of it, but it’s a bold design; it’s not as commercial as others. He was like, ‘This is the one that’s speaking to me.’”

Early in the collaboration process, Jae Tips said he told Faustino that he knew his community and what they’d buy — and he predicted that this shoe would be the first Saucony that a lot of people would own.

He was right, according to Faustino.

“Saucony, to me, is one in the same with every other big brand. But the reality is, we’re just not as big. We don’t have as much space on a retail floor as other brands, we don’t have as much consumer awareness,” Faustino said. “We’re a little more under the radar than others, and it takes special people to see our greatness. The partnership with Jae Tips exploded that energy. It moves us from an ‘if you know, you know’ to ‘now you can’t avoid knowing us.’”

As for Jae Tips, he said the Saucony Originals partnership has taken him to previously unseen heights. “I’ve been doing a lot of creative work, but I needed someone to cosign me. I am grateful for Saucony because what does all that work mean after a while if nobody taps in to work with me?” he explained. “The people who follow and support me, how long will they show up to events and buy products if people aren’t going to also stop them on the street and say, ‘Wow, you’ve got Jae Tips on. I’ve seen him on Footwear News.’”

On Dec. 8, the partners will launch their second collaboration — two colorways of the Grid Shadow 2 silhouette — with another collaborative Omni 9 sneaker set for 2024.

For 37 years, the annual FN Achievement Awards — often called the “Shoe Oscars” — have celebrated the style stars, best brand stories, ardent philanthropists, emerging talents and industry veterans. The 2023 event is supported by sponsors Authentic Brands Group, Birdies, Caleres, Crocs, FDRA, Nordstrom, Saucony and Vibram.

Best of Footwear News

Sign up for FN's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.