LeBron James Teams Up With Harlem's Fashion Row on New Nike Sneakers, Inspired by Strong African-American Women
Nike is having quite an eventful week indeed. On Monday, the brand released a new ad campaign featuring Serena Williams, and, to the dismay of conservative America, Colin Kaepernick. Over the past few days on social media, we've seen a call for a boycott of the athletic brand on one side, praise on the other, and some really excellent memes inspired by the debate. If you're the type who doesn't have a problem with athletes exercising their first amendment right, you probably applauded Nike's move. And if you did that, prepare to put your hands together once again as the brand just announced a collaboration with LeBron James that has a very important social message.
Nike and LeBron James have teamed up with Harlem's Fashion Row, a platform for designers of color, to create HFR x LeBron 16, his first women's basketball sneaker, which, fittingly, was designed by women. Three Harlem's Fashion Row designers (Fe Noel, Undra Duncan, and Kimberly Goldson) were tapped for the project, which aimed to create a sneaker to reflect the power of African-American women.
“I believe that African-American women are some of the strongest people on earth,” James told Vogue. "I grew up around incredibly strong women and continue to be inspired by the female strength I see around me, mainly in my mom, wife, and daughter. I thought it was important to recognize that strength through this shoe.” On Tuesday night, Harlem's Fashion Row unveiled the new footwear during its annual New York Fashion Week show and award ceremony, at which activist Bethann Hardison, stylist Jason Rembert, and designer Dapper Dan were honored. When James finally took the stage to collect his Icon 360 award and announce the collab, he brought with him one of the most influential girls in his life — his daughter, Zhuri.
LeBron James Zhuri James Harlem's Fashion Row
The sneakers come in a white colorway with gold details and a molding of a roaring lion baring its teeth at the heel. The sneaker also has a removable strap, which you can wear with the kicks or alone as an ankle bracelet. The inside sole, according to Vouge, is printed with the words strength, courage, loyalty, and dignity. "Every time you reach down to put the shoe on, these words will serve as a reminder of encouragement and empowerment," says Nike global basketball footwear designer, Meline Khachatourian, who also worked on the shoe.
James has been quite outspoken, not only in his support for Nike's inclusion of Kaepernick in its campaign, but also in his support for black women. In August, he posted a carousel to Instagram featuring all the black women covering the September issues of major magazines. "Nothing in this world is more POWERFUL than Colored Women!!" he captioned the post. "Thank you all for continuing to not settle and setting great examples in life for so many looking up to you for inspiration/guidance and love!! My daughter is watching!" While James did get some applause for the post, as one might have predicted, he did catch flack from the "All Lives Matter" crowd. And while this shoe is for all women, the source of its inspiration, whether or not it is controversial to you, should be celebrated.
HFR x LeBron 16 will be available on the SNKRS app in the U.S. only September 7.
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