FREE THE YOUTH AND JORDAN BRAND TEAM UP TO CELEBRATE ‘40 YEARS OF GREATNESS’
Generations are defined by bold decisions individuals make to protect a culture growing within a community. These risks empower gamechangers to think and act outside of the box. Rather than contain themselves to what has historically been done, they grow beyond, leading a generation of dreamers to aim even higher, imagine way past what they can see.
Without these gamechangers, there aren’t those who follow after them. Without Nadal, there’d be no Alcaraz. Without Ronaldinho, there’d be no Neymar, no Vinicius.
On the other side of risk lies greatness, and often there are some who dare to be great.
The story of the Jordan Brand is built upon a risk. 40 years ago, when Michael Jordan stepped out in the Air Jordan I that violated the NBA’s dress code, the brand reached a crossroad. They’d already invested heavily into the partnership with a young Michael Jordan, but at this latest obstacle, they could just turn back and adhere to the rules that were in place. Instead, they continued to defy these rules (paying a heavy fine of $5,000 per game) and redefine sports history in the process.
Without the Air Jordan I, there isn’t the Kobe 6, the Lebron 21, the Luka 3. But beyond the sport, without the spirit of defiance within the jumpman every time Jordan laced up, there wouldn’t be the kid in London wearing a basketball shoe, with no intention of hitting a jump shot in them.
It’s 40 years of dedication to a consistent narrative that brings the brand back to Brixton, taking to the same streets Michael Jordan did when he visited the Brixton Topcats in 1985. This time, Jordan Brand will be returning with Free the Youth, the group taking Tema to the world, often through storied garments that paint pictures of their journey as trailblazers within West Africa.
Ahead of their event in Brixton, I spoke to the quartet – Maposh Richard Ormano, Jonathan Coffie, Kelly Foli and Prince Brefo, who are the minds behind the brand. They’re now in London ahead of a milestone event for them and as I dialled in, they’re a quietly confident bunch, excited but ready for an event that’ll continue to help the group build bridges in London and beyond. They’re all aesthetically different, an instant ode to the unique value they all bring when they come together. “We grew up in the same neighbourhood, loving the same stuff and we just created a brotherhood out of it,” begins Jonathan, paying his respect to the likes of Tumblr and Supreme for forging a sense of community between the group.
The brand began in Tema, a small coastal town not too far from Accra, and just like the Jordan Brand, faced resistance from a traditional community that didn’t understand how creativity could turn into a career. “We were painted like the black sheep, but we just tried to make a good narrative from that. We wanted to free us, be free to do what we wanted to, that’s really where Free the Youth came from,” says Kelly. The boys recall stories of leaving the house to go and take pictures of their earliest collections, with a lack of understanding of their vision externally, there was an assumption that they were simply wasting their time.
I ask the boys about some of their milestones so far. They mention designing for Pharrell Williams for Something in the Water festival, touring America in 2023, dropping music, but there are resounding nods when the topic of opening their flagship store in Accra is mentioned – one of the only streetwear flagships in Accra. “Every year, there's a different milestone, and next year is our 10 year anniversary. We're gonna have, like, something great coming out next year for sure.”
“The biggest milestone is, you know, changing the narrative. Making people believe that, you know, whatever we are doing is possible.” says Maposh. “Because right now, kids in Africa have also started their own brands, and they are also going crazy. If I look back, I feel like that was one of the biggest milestones, you know.”
Our conversation jumps back to the Free the Youth store and it’s a proud and tangible visualisation of their defiance and perseverance. Their ‘Taxis Not Allowed’ t-shirt comes up in the conversation, as a lot of the places they used to skate in and around – often large corporate buildings – wouldn’t allow taxis, let alone skaters on their premises. “We always wanted a space where we felt comfortable to connect with other creatives. There was nothing like that. So when we got an opportunity to open our store, we wanted to create an opportunity for the next generation of kids like us.” Rather than have the store as their own space and reinforce the ‘Taxis Not Allowed’ mindset that they were subjected to in their youth, they’ve decided to do the opposite, fostering a community and energy that feels welcoming to everyone with a dream and a goal. “People come to socialize, network, even if they're not buying anything. They feel at home. They feel like it's a coworking space too, for other creatives to just come and just see the job. Maybe, if we have an activation, they get to see the operation.”
We step back into the current day, and the conversation moves to the forthcoming event, and how it came about. Without them saying it, there’s clear synergies between the Jordan Brand and Free the Youth, a meeting ground they both have a connection to. As they all recall their favourite Jordan silhouette, the Bred 85 is the most popular choice, alongside some shouts supporting the XVI and the IV. “Jordan is an idol. There’s a level of drive he had on the court that we bring to our own courts in a different way. What we represent and what the brand represents coincide so heavily and often, and every kid in Ghana grows up wearing Jordans, so the connection was already there. But the conversations we were having this time just felt right, and it’s our time to show the world what the energy of Jordan Brand looks like in a new generation.”
