BOB's Blog: Air Jordan 12 “Jay-Z Concert” Customs

Tuesday, March 30, 2010

Air Jordan 12 “Jay-Z Concert” Customs

I have seen quite a few custom sneakers in my day and I can say without hesitation that these are one of the most unique and inspiring shoes I have ever seen. Designed for Elvis T. from Chicago by Intrxn, the designer took inspiration from not only the commisioner, but Jay-Z, Biggie, and Alexander McQueen. Before we even get into the shoes, I want to give you a few details on the designer.
Intrxn is from California and has been known to create custom sneakers from simple redesigns to complete reconstructions. He has even gone as far as creating his own sneaker, called the Genesis. Though some may not appreciate the detail involved in a sneaker customization like this, it is designers like Intrxn that push the envelope keep the mainstream designers on their toes.
The theme of the design is “Man vs Machine”, an ode to the work ethic of Jay-Z, Biggie, and Alexander McQueen. The Jordan 12 Rising Sun upper is primarily constructed of a white perforated leather with a patent leather patch on the lateral side. The patent leather patch uses red stitching to give the otherwise white silhouette some color, but that is not where it stops. The most striking aspect of the design is the use of metal and strings throughout the upper. Extra eyelets have been placed just below the main row to help enhance the design and heighten the shoes appeal. The heels of the shoe wear some laser etching from various sources; Jay-Z “In My Lifetime”, Biggie “It Was All a Dream”, AMQ “We are the Fashion World’s Incubator”, and Elvis T “You Get Out of Life What You Put In”.
So after taking a look at the shoes, what do you guys think?
From Intrxn:

Elvis T. from Chicago contracted me to work on a very special Jordan. The rule was that I was to do something I have never done before. The Jordan 12 release date correlates to Jay-Z’s 1997 distribution deal with Def Jam Records. Following the death of Notorious B.I.G. he worked with P. Diddy to produce “In My Lifetime” and the record “Reasonable Doubt.” If you get a chance to catch these shoes in person you can notice the detail that acknowledges inspiration from Elvis himself, Jay-Z, Biggie, and Alexander McQueen. The conceptual approach includes undertones regarding these men’s work ethic and the theme, “Man or Machine.” As far as colorway, the shoe was created to match Elvis’ shirt and vest. He divulged that his fashion sense is all about making statements in a clean and classy manner. If I had one word to describe the work I did for him it would be “sculpture.” Everyone who is attending the Jay-Z concert on Thursday March 18th keep an eye out for Elvis in the double stretch black Hummer!