Pleasingly, football and basketball now come together aesthetically in this thrilling new NJR x JORDAN Collection. Thanks to this unique collaboration, Neymar Jr. has become the first football athlete to feature the Jumpman on his performance product. Consequently, the Jorban Brand will also release a Neymar version of the Jordan V Low with “Neymar” stitched inside the tongue.
Sadly, we won’t be seeing the shoe sold at any retail outlets locally, so it will truly be a sneakerhead’s dream if one manages to actually cop a pair here. Thankfully, we can always look to grab one online.
To delve further into the story behind this gorgeous pair, we got in touch with Nathan Vanhook, who was an integral part of the pair’s design process, for a quick exclusive interview.
1. Please give us a short introduction about yourself to our readers.
My name is Nathan Vanhook, Sr. Football Design Director, I’ve been at Nike almost 8 years and lead an outstanding Nike Football design team.
2. How did you get into footwear design initially?
I went to industrial design school in Philadelphia and ended up designing wetsuits for surfing after I finished school and then my background in art led me to Nike. I’ve been a fan of Nike since I was a kid.
3. When you guys were working on the shoe for the first time, were there certain things you were trying to nail specifically for him?
We worked closely with Neymar to ensure the boot reflected his style and passion. It was Neymar’s idea to have a #23 on one foot and the #10 on the other. He wanted to be sure we had the #23 on there out of respect to Michael Jordan. His son’s initials are on the laces as another personal touch. Some key elements that I felt essential were the iconic jet fighter teeth, the matte finish of the upper, the reflective properties, definitely the cement pattern, and of course the inclusion of the Jumpman (and the Jordan lace locks).
4. What was Neymar Jr’s reaction when he first saw them?
He was blown away and seeing his name locked up with the Jumpman logo really meant a lot to him. It’s been a special project all the way through but seeing his reaction was definitely the best part.
5. Was there ever a sneaker you had the chance to get but didn’t and now you still think about it?
I think that’s what great about working at Nike is I’ve had a bunch of different opportunities and experiences to design the footwear I’ve always wanted to design. Football is a sport with very expressive players so I get to design the kinds of products I dreamed about as a kid.
6. What are some of your career highlights so far?
Working at Nike is amazing. Being able to work on different products in sportswear, football and more has been incredible. We work with the best athletes in the world to define the future of sports. I enjoy it very much.
Neymar Jr. himself has a fair bit to say about his collaboration with Nike for the shoe.
“Michael Jordan inspired me in the search for excellence with everything he did in his career, his training and always seeking to be better than himself. And I think that was something that inspired me, something that I was always thinking about and trying to have in my life, trying to have in my football, so that every day I could improve and be better than myself,” says Neymar Jr.
The footballer recalls that his first Jordan shoes were a gift from Nike and “I always used them at school, I didn’t take them off my feet.”
“So much so that I ended up opening up the front because I used to play ball with them so much,” he adds.
“This brand is unique, from the moment you look at the logo you remember many of his plays, you remember many moves or shots. Then whoever had the idea of the logo was brilliant because the moves will be stored in your mind and so will the Jordan Brand.”
“When I put the Jordan shoes I try to fly like him, but I can’t.”
Here’s another look at the collection below:
