Event Recap : HerbbySince ’89 x Fashion Oui! sneaker exhibition dedicated to Black Culture

Within the framework of the “Fashion ? Oui !” event organised by the cultural center of Herbby hometown Noisiel, He did a sneaker exhibition dedicated to Black Culture.

“From the movie Do The Right Thing to the brand “Maison Château Rouge”, through the Hip-Hop group A Tribe Called Quest, I displayed 20 iconic models which promote Black Culture and shared the history and legacy of each one of them. The event took place on February 29th, 2020 so I chose this theme to conclude Black History Month, even though it is not celebrated in France.”

Here is my Top 5 among the exhibition…

Air Jordan 1 Mid SE Fearless “Maison Château Rouge”

Maison Château Rouge is a lifestyle brand which celebrates the homonym multicultural neighbourhood, in the 18th arrondissement of Paris. The collections of the brand are inspired by African traditions. On this model, the brown color symbolizes Africa and the red stitchings refer to the savoir-faire of African artisans.

I really like the story-telling behind each detail, pattern and color of the design.

Air Jordan 5 Retro “Grape”

The AJ5 were designed by Tinker Hatfield in 1990. The model is notably known thanks to the character played by Will Smith in The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, which is my favorite sitcom! From his outfits to his script lines, The Fresh Prince character is an authentic personification of Black Culture in the 90s.

Nike “Urban Jungle” collection

The “Urban Jungle” collection is inspired by the anti-racism ad “Live Together, Play Together” directed by Spike Lee in 1992, to promote the launch of the Nike Air Raid. The socially-aware African-American director also released his movie Malcolm X, in homage to the human rights activist Malcolm X El Hajj Malik Al-Shabazz, the same year.

On this picture, you can see a part of the Nike Air Force 1 “Urban Jungle”, its colourful prints on the Swoosh and the Peace logo on the heel tab.

Air Jordan 4 Retro “White Cement”

The AJ4 were designed by Tinker Hatfield in 1989. The model is mainly known thanks to the character Buggin’ Out of Spike Lee’s 1989 movie, Do The Right Thing. From the characters to the icons mentioned (Malcolm X, Martin Luther King, Nelson Mandela, Public Enemy, Jackie Robinson, Kunta Kinte…), the movie is a true ode to Black Culture. The toothbrush refers to the famous scene when Buggin’ Out cleans his “f*cked up brand new white AJ4’s”.

I was born in 1989 and Do The Right Thing is my favorite movie!

Nike Air Force 1 “HerbbySince’89”

Designed by Bruce Kilgore, the Air Force 1 are the first Nike basketball sneakers with the Air technology. They initially released in 1982.

The multidisciplinary artists Tempo Nok (Instagram @tempo_nok) and Larry Tchogninou (Instagram @lazovic69) respectively customed the shoes and the box during the first edition of my Block Party named “HerbbySince’89”. The goal of this event is to promote my main passions: Sneakers, Basketball, Hip-Hop and Art.

Larry Tchogninou wrote “1960” on the box, in homage to the 17 Sub-Saharan African countries which achieved their independence this year.