story

"My name is Tarrick here representing Nike NYC and we are located at Abdul's Family Restaurant. We're here to talk about the Behind the Design Air Force 1 ‘Little Accra’. The story the shoe tells itself is speaking to Ghanian culture and allowing the Ghanaian, you know, neighborhoods and the…"

"…individuals right here in the Bronx to be able to see themselves in the shoe is a story in itself. We had the opportunity to celebrate the 40th Anniversary of the Air Force 1, it was really important for us to tell deep rooted stories about food, music, art, fashion…"

"…culture. It sounds like it's a recipe for community. One of the aspects of the shoe that I really am in love with are the symbols on the toes. We have the Sankofa and Nserewa, and those Adinkra symbols from Ghana as well as the embroidery. So, for Air Force 1, you usually…"

"…have a raw edge or a different type of edge. But for this, we wanted to add a level of premium. The rolled edges, the satin, and even the, you know, the smooth leather on the toe box. The beauty about the Air Force 1 silhouette is that it's so dynamic. Like, I could dress it…"

"…down and just kind of do streetwear with it, but I also dress it up. The art that's all around us is because of the vibrant colors that we tend to see. So, the art on these walls are from local community members. Tomato bases are majority of our food. The soups that we eat…"

"…have that reddish look that are associated with our food. This creamy color. Some people love to cook with coconut milk, mix that into their stews and soup, and all of those things show up in the different types of cuisine that we tend to eat. My name is Gifty Boakye proud Ghanaian…"

"…model and philanthropist. You wear the Ghanaian color. You wear the power of an African woman in the fashion, in the fabrics. You'll see women in the market selling all day. Dancing, though. Yes. Singing, laughing. That's the beauty of being Ghanaian."

"It makes me feel powerful. It makes me feel like I want to continue to show girls that look like me that I've come this far and they're just going to go further. Abdul's nephews are going to walk in the footsteps that he's made. We're building generational history, memories, wealth, love, community. That's power."

Behind the Design: Air Force 1 Low 'Little Accra'