Teyana Taylor launched her new Air Jordan 1 collaboration Thursday. This collaboration is the singer’s first with Michael Jordan’s eponymous brand. Taylor first teased the partnership in February. In May, Taylor gifted the sneakers to some of her closest friends and colleagues, including Lil Wayne and Missy Elliot. The shoe is named “A Rose In Harlem,” and is a love letter to New York neighborhood. It also references Taylor’s 2018 hit by the same name.
A Fitting Partnership
Over the years, Taylor has established herself as a multidisciplinary artist. The Harlem-born artist has recently taken on more work as a creative director. She’s also acted in movies and made numerous hit songs. Along with Taylor’s accomplishments in the entertainment industry, she is also renowned for her sense of fashion. She favors the street style from her native New York but never shies away from experimenting with other looks. Taylor was recently spotted wearing a stunning midriff baring gown at the 2023 amfAR gala. The singer was also one of the best dressed at the 2023 Met Gala which she attended with Thom Browne.
The collaboration with Nike’s Air Jordan is a fitting partnership that builds on Taylor’s love for streetwear and her reverence for her birthplace.
A Bold New Take
In her partnership with the Jordan brand, Taylor took a fresh on the existing design. She opted for subtle yet identifiable details that solidify her “A Rose in Harlem” messaging.
“The modified Air Jordan 1 by Taylor features a “Chicago” reminiscent color scheme, but with personalized touches,” according to Sneaker News.
One of those touches includes the replacement of the traditional branding on the left shoe’s tongue label with “TEY”. The profile swooshes now have zig-zag stitching reminiscent of rose-like swooshes around the shoes. “A Rose from Harlem” rests on the undersides of the ankle flaps. Additionally, Sneaker News reports, “the reworked sole unit underfoot opts for a two-tone outsole that matches the remainder of the Air Jordan retro.”