Imagining a Signature Sneaker for Jabari Parker

Image via Complex Original

Jabari’s game is solid as a rock, but he’s agile as a jet. He will man you up with his strength and size but immediately explode and breakdown within a single movement. It was these attributes that inspired me to look at a blending of natural resources and man-made materials. Materials that both support and flex, that visually show speed, movement and intensity. It was important that his shoe was solid enough to maintain him but responsive enough to take flight with him.

Jabari is a silent ambassador of the game and now the Brand. It’s important that his logo speaks for him. The development of Jabari’s branding went through many stages. The iterations focused on emphasizing the dynamic style of play and the iconic nature that he grew up. Chicago is known for its presence of immaculate architecture. Like the architecture that surrounded his youth, Jabari’s logo lays out the foundation for his championship building.

Jabari’s branding is a combination of his game, defined style, persona, optimistic outlook on life and most importantly, him. The logo embraces his initials in a faceted nature while combining to reveal his court identity, the number 12. The styling of the logo is sharp and chiseled like his game and projects forward to his bright future at the Brand and in the NBA.

The shoe had to be strong yet light, just like Jabari. The beginning stages focused on creating a graphic that traveled through the shoe in a sharp but purposeful manner. Focusing on creating a look that wasn’t just bold, but functional.

As the design was refined the materials came together to embrace being solid yet agile. The shoe combines the best technological offerings Jordan Brand has ever offered in a single package: Foamposite, FlightPlate, and PerformanceWoven. These materials combine to bring a solid presence with a soft and supple feel. 

The FlightPlate made its debut in 2012 on the Air Jordan XX8. The new flagship piece reinvigorated the Air Jordan line with a platform approach that aids in every aspect of the athlete’s game. When Jabari takes off, it provides a solid stand to propel him forward. When Jabari takes his game 180° in a new direction, it supports him and keeps him from losing valuable energy. Most importantly, the FlightPlate absorbs and launches Jabari to new heights as it takes the energy from every step and puts it back into his foot for taking off. 

PeformanceWoven elevates the game to new heights as it literally allows the Brand to tune the upper of the game shoe to the exact specifications of each individual athlete. The upper takes advantage of the warp and weft technique of PerformanceWoven to create channels that absorb and redirect energy. The channels redirect the energy that Jabari is putting into his shoes on the court back into his game to help support and aid him naturally. 

The upper of the shoe features a technique completely new to the footwear industry: a veil of carbon fiber. By compressing recycled carbon fiber down to the most minimal height, a mere one millimeter, it allows the carbon to become flexible and take shape of the material it's bonding to. Because it is so thin and flexible, it is also not as rigid, allowing it to absorb more without stress. Its use on Jabari’s shoe has it following the direction of the PerformanceWoven channels, creating a network of strength and flexibility. 

The Jordan Brand JP12 started long before Jabari Parker was a Chicago legend. It started in 1984 when Michael stepped foot in the city of the Chi. It was his winning ways that would be passed down from generation to generation and it was his dominant career that inspired the future.

Jabari is the most heralded youth athlete to ever sign to the brand and his product is a representation of the future of his domination.

Aesthetically, the shoe is sharp but rigid, light but dominant. It shows forward movement to match the optimistic outlook Jabari has on life. It features details and materials that meet the exact specifications of the greatest athlete ever. It hones in on every specific detail that is Jabari’s game, thus allowing him to manipulate his competitors to playing his game.

The JP12 is a blending of science and nature with a dominant heritage. It provides a strong foundation for Jabari Parker to take flight into his NBA career.