Trinidad rapper James will launch Tobago-inspired sneakers tomorrow.
James, real name Nicholaus Williams, has teamed up with American athletic apparel brand Saucony to create the Maxi Blue kicks. The sneakers take their name from the blue stripe maxi-taxis that operate on the sister island.
Just under 100 pairs of the shoes will be available for sale at tomorrow’s launch, starting at 2pm at CBs Sleek Cutz (formerly Paprika Lounge), Rust Street, St Clair, James said. The shoes will retail for $800.
“I look at this shoe as Trinidadian art. So if you like to collect Trinidadian art, I truly believe you will appreciate the quality that we are offering with our sneakers,” said Trinidad James.
Saucony teamed up with James to create the limited edition shoe after being impressed with his socially conscious clothing and design brand Hommewrk. Founded in 2019, the fashion label is structured around promoting learning from a community and culture perspective.
“Working with Saucony has been educational as well as challenging in a very positive way. I have been a sneaker collector for a very long time. That collection experience could not have prepared me for what I have learned since the summer of 2020 when we started this project.
“One of the main reasons Saucony’s head of collaborations, Jason Faustino, decided to work with Hommewrk was because of my attention to culture. Telling new stories at Saucony that hadn’t been told yet. Being able to shine a positive light on Trinidad and Tobago is always a win in my book,” James said of the collaboration.
James said his brand Hommewrk will select muses from T&T’s past who can inspire the new generation. Their launch season focused on Miss Universe T&T 1977 Janelle “Penny” Commissiong.
“Hommewrk is a curriculum-based brand where we choose a muse to base each collection. This muse is someone we think you’d appreciate making your Hommewrk. For the first season, we chose Penny. Trinidad and Tobago introduced the world to the first black Miss Universe in 1977. Every young, aspiring black model from Trinidad to America should know about her. That’s how we feel,” he explained.
A title earned
Becoming a shoe ambassador for a major international brand “is a title that’s earned,” admits James. However, the door is open for young designers and other talented creatives to showcase their skills and visions and win similar deals, he added.
James knows what he’s talking about. In 2012, the Atlanta, USA-based rapper gained worldwide attention for his cartoon-like persona and avant-garde approach to clothing following the Billboard success of his single “All Gold Everything.”
“As we continue to push the culture forward, I believe that designers and other young people will have a chance to showcase their talents on a grand scale. I believe that what I have done so far is living proof. Hommewrk has just begun. We have more to come and a lot to learn,” he said.
Hommewrk also plans to redesign a school uniform on the island in the next year, James said. The brand famously designed the uniform of Crete Academy in Los Angeles, California, USA, in 2020.
“Crete Academy is a school for children who are homeless or come from a less privileged family. More than athletes, these kids need education and money. I pray for more success with my brand so we can donate money, supplies and sneakers in the coming year,” said James.
Despite often being criticized in the past for his flashy, over-the-top urban fashion and music, Trinidad James says he remains focused on his personal vision to be a positive force of change in this world.
“Being human means having an opinion. Having perspective. Lack of knowledge is what brings negativity sometimes. If we don’t know what something really stands for, we tend to think of it in a negative light because we are too busy with our own lives. The negativity I’ve gotten for years has been an arrow in the back that I collect year after year because it won’t kill me. I can feel it, but it won’t kill me.
“The positive I get is much greater. It is more true. The negative is not true. If everyone who said something negative about me walked a mile in my shoes or knew me, they would apologize and stop speaking in such a manner. I really believe you have two chances to prove your character. One in real life and another online. Reality means more to me.
“Don’t believe me, just watch!” he concluded.
