Jordan's Flight Court With Who Decides War's Téla D'Amore Is a Sneakerhead Dream
The designer talks her process while crafting the limited-edition kicks and how she used to save up for Jordans as a kid.
Who Decides War Co-Founder Téla D'Amore revealed a collaboration Thursday morning with Jordan, revealing a new pair of Flight Courts, where she applied a collage of her distinct aesthetic twists. The shoes are subtle, yet intricately detailed, mirroring the finesse of her New York-based luxury streetwear label. But they're distinct in their own way too. For D'Amore, this marks is a full circle moment.
"I used to save up to buy [Jordans]. Every time I'd buy a pair for myself, I'd also buy a pair for my younger brother. The brand was everything to us as kids," D'Amore tells L'OFFICIEL. Her new low-top shoe with Jordan boasts a relaxed colorway in off-noir and varsity red. These feature the classic Jumpman logo in the latter hue alongside darning, a technique synonymous with Who Decides War’s signature look.
"I wanted to create something that was me through and through. I spent a lot of time choosing the leathers and the additional mixed materials for the upper," D'Amore says. "I loved creating something that felt like another labor of love, like a great pair of denim. There was so much attention paid to making sure I produced an item that would only get better with age. It was important to me to have the gum sole. That’s always been my favorite."
Other details prove this shoe offers more than meets the eye. Lettering inside the tongue, which reads "the world is your court," acts as a wearable affirmation. (Its phrasing and red color also seems to echo that iconic line from Scarface.) A tear-away feature on the back makes these modular, letting any wearer decide which brand's logo to display.
Quite literally, "these are stepping into something new," D'Amore adds. While the shoe reflects some Who Decides War signatures, these kicks were meant to offer something a little different "while still paying homage to the history of techniques and appliqués that have been successful reinforcements throughout my career," she continued.
Who Decides War, co-founded alongside Ev Bravado, has been one of the buzziest brands in luxury streetwear lately, thanks to its refreshing designs and host of celebrity fans, from Ice Spice to Teyana Taylor, Quavo, and more. The label also boasts a history of buzzy brand collaborations, including one earlier in the year with H&M and Jean-Michel Basquiat's estate.
The Tela D’Amore x Jordan Brand Flight Court is available to shop for $115 on Nike's website.
