Asian American basketball photographer Koolmac finally achieved his dream of designing his own Jordan sneakers.
Cameron Look, who goes by āKoolmacā on Instagram, posted pictures on Monday to showcase the boba tea-inspired Air Jordan 36 Low sneakers he designed in collaboration with the Jordan brand.
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Speaking to NextShark, Koolmac said that talks about the project began in late 2021: āIt definitely took some time, but it was well worth the wait. The creative process is always fun.ā
āI worked Nike retail for three years and dreamed of a day like this,ā Koolmac wrote in an Instagram post debuting the shoes.
The new shoes feature a matcha color scheme and circles representing tapioca balls on the insoles and mudguards. The sneakers also have the text “Matcha Matcha Man” on their volt strips.
For the finishing touches, the kicks bear the iconic Jumpman logo on the tongue of the left shoe and a cartoon boba tea character on the right.
āThrough experiences + relationships Iām learning how to bring my ideas to life. Those close to me know the hours I put in, the miles I travel, and the time I sacrifice away from loved ones,ā the photographer continued in his post.
āAt times I feel guilty and conflicted but I believe weāre changing the world. To everyone supporting me, my photography, my products, and my story, this is for you. Yes, we did it, but thereās still so much more to do.ā
On Sunday, Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum was spotted rocking the Koolmac-designed shoes during his teamās game 1 matchup against the Milwaukee Bucks in the Eastern Conference semifinals of the NBA Playoffs.
āIāve built a strong relationship with Jayson over the past four years when he trains in L.A. during the off-season with Drew Hanlen. Itās beautiful to see the trajectories of our careers since we met in 2018. We both respect each other as masters of our crafts,ā Koolmac told NextShark.
āGiven this context, of course Jayson was the perfect person to debut the shoe. The colorway was perfect since he plays for the Boston Celtics and the timing couldnāt have been better given the fact that itās both NBA playoffs and AAPI Heritage Month.ā
Koolmac also shared that he is on a mission to break stereotypes of āwhat it means to be a photographer.ā
āFour years ago a market for creative sports photography didnāt even exist,ā he told NextShark. āIāve been blessed to inspire other creatives and Asian Americans around the world through my craft. I may carry a camera around with me, but Iām also an artist, designer, storyteller and so much more. Iāve never wanted to be anyoneās āphotographer,ā Iāve always wanted to be family.ā
Feature Image viaĀ