After setting up his own public school in Akron, Ohio where he hails from to help underprivileged children in his town gain access to education months back, LeBron James is back in the news with a women’s basketball footwear in honor of African-American women.
LeBron teamed up with Nike’s global basketball footwear designer Meline Khachatourian and three of Harlem’s Fashion Row designers, Kimberly Goldson, Fe Noel and Undra Duncan to come up with the HFR x LeBron 16, which pays homage to African-American women specifically those in his life, including his mother, wife and daughter.
Khachatourian explains of the new design as, “We wanted to make this shoe a luxurious twist on the basketball sneaker, with hints of regal gold hardware and a powerful 3-D lion motif on the heel. On the inside sole, there are four words that you will see visualized; strength, courage, loyalty and dignity. Every time you reach down to put the shoe on, these words will serve as a reminder of encouragement and empowerment.”
Khachatourian’s signature, along with Goldson’s, Noel’s and Duncan’s are featured on the tongue of the sneaker, and the leather ankle strap can be removed and worn as a choker or a bracelet.
James describes his collaboration with the four women as, “As soon as I had the opportunity to meet them, I knew they would be perfect for this. I knew that they would bring perspective that would make this shoe something special.”
The HFR x LeBron 16 is something LeBron is very passionate about, given his inspiration behind it. He said, “I believe that African-American women are some of the strongest people on earth,” he says. “I grew up around incredibly strong women and continue to be inspired by the female strength I see around me, mainly in my mom, wife and daughter. I thought it was important to recognize that strength through this shoe.”
James believes it is only right for him to use his enormous platform to honor women, who are mostly undervalued in these turbulent political times. ” I thought it was important to lend that platform to a group of people that I believe are undervalued. I want women to know that they are recognized, that there are people who appreciate them and know that they are facing odds that others are not having to face. In spite of those odds, I want them to know that they can succeed and create the positive change that we need more of right now.”
