Love stories, people can’t get enough of them. Life partners Chris Gibbs (Union LA co-owner) and Beth Birkett Gibbs (Bephies Beauty Supply founder and Union LA co-owner) are sharing theirs with the world via a collaboration with Jordan Brand, which beats 'dinner with this one' Instagram posts any day of the week. They call it the Bephies Beauty Supply x Union LA x Air Jordan 'Summer of ‘96' collection, and it's spearheaded by a very special Air Jordan 1.
Inspired by the first time they crossed paths in Clinton Hill, Brooklyn, in summertime 1996 (hence the name of the collection), The Gibbs duo have captured the spirit of the NYC borough during the mid-nineties in their Air Jordan 1 renovation. There's a particular focus on the arts and crafts sphere that was primarily brought the district by the Afro-Caribbean community – a scene saluted to by the woven element of the Jordan's upper that's borrowed from the Nike Footscape Woven range.
For the collar, the duo look back to the original Union LA x Air Jordan 1 pack (2018's ‘black toe’ and ‘blue toe’ ) and carry forward the conspicuous zig-zag stitching and Union LA-branded tab. The only hint of Bephies Beauty Supply branding here is discoverable on the heel: a leather patch embroidered with the marque's initials in a cursive font.
The colourway – officially termed the not-so-catchy ‘sail/wolf grey/muslin/pale vanilla/kinetic green/university gold’ – marries hushed hues of creams and greys with a stirring shade of green and yellow. Together, the colours create a vintage look that feels fitting for a project informed by the distant memories of its creators.
The BBS x Union LA x Air Jordan 1 is packaged in an attached lid box adorned with triple branding, the name of the collection and yellow-filtered photographs of Brooklyn. The inside of the box is coated in university gold and is embellished with the logos of each brand. The shoes are wrapped in an exclusive-to-the-drop monochromatic graphic paper.
The Summer of '96 collection also comprises a woven take on the Air Jordan 1 Elevate High in women’s sizes, and an an apparel line. There are tees, knits, sweats, trousers, shorts and accessories, all inspired in some way by the most pivotal moment in Chis and Beth's lives.
When is the Bephies Beauty Supply x Union LA x Air Jordan 1 High Dropping?
The BBS x Union LA x AJ1 High drops on Saturday 26 August alongside the rest of the BBS x Union LA x Air Jordan Summer of ‘96 collection.
Where is the Bephies Beauty Supply x Union LA x Air Jordan 1 High Dropping?
The BBS x Union LA x AJ1 High is available via raffle at Footpatrol, End, SNS and Offspring. It is also expected to be available on the Nike SNKRS app, though we are still awaiting confirmation.
As you might expect, the BBS x Union LA x AJ1 High is already available on trusted resale marketplaces The Edit Ldn and StockX.
How much does the Bephies Beauty Supply x Union LA x Air Jordan 1 High cost?
The RRP for the BBS x Union LA x AJ1 High is £185.
What sizes does the Bephies Beauty Supply x Union LA x Air Jordan 1 High come in?
The BBS x Union LA x AJ1 High is available in sizes between UK 3.5 – 14.
How does the Bephies Beauty Supply x Union LA x Air Jordan 1 High fit?
Like most Air Jordan 1s, The BBS x Union LA x AJ1 High fits true to size. Visit our Jordan sizing guide for more information on how Jordans fit.
What laces does the Bephies Beauty Supply x Union LA x Air Jordan 1 High come with?
Two pairs of laces are packaged with the The BBS x Union LA x AJ1 High: a two-tone pair (when laced into the shoe, the laces are sail below the green stitching on the tongue and the collar, and grey above that point) and a university gold pair.
