Author: Bradley Martinez

For our return of our Frequent Players Guest Mix Series, we enlisted the help of all female DJ collective, Girls Don’t Sync. Having come together over the last 12 months or so, Girls Don’t Sync is the creation of four friends, Matty Chiabi, G33, Sophia Violet and Hannah Lynch. Together, they’ve been hosting their own events and parties that have seen them thrown into the limelight and they’re taking it by storm.

Cleverly curating nights out that heavily focuses on a blend of dancehall, afrobeats and UK garage, Girls Don’t Sync have are here to stay!

We recently sat down with them to discuss how they all found each other and how they’re enjoying this rise! Check out the interview below as well as checking out Guest Mix 29!

Footpatrol: Welcome, welcome! It’s so good to finally meet you all face to face, how has everyones day been?

All: Amazing!!!

G33: A little bit chaotic because we just played at Somerset house and had a bit of a rush this morning but that is basically the epitome of how we move constantly – always in a rush. We try not to rush but we are just trying to do as many things as possible, we are at a stage now where we say yes to pretty much everything and just enjoying it! Late nights, very early mornings, like we were saying to you before we started this interview we wouldn’t want to have it any other way. 

FP: Starting from the beginning then. Could you each give a little intro on yourselves and who Girls Don’t Sync are?

Hannah Lynch: My name is Hannah Lynch (DJ Hannah Lynch), I am a resident club DJ in Liverpool, teach from my home studio in the week and then DJ throughout the weekend. 

G33: I’m Gaia, I am originally from Brixton like Matty. I went to uni in Liverpool and just stayed. From there my work mainly consists around community work, youth work and also for a club/music venue. I try to bring all these things together, it’s something that as a collective we feel is really important trying to champion young upcoming talent, especially women. Matty does some similar stuff in her work too, it’s something we find really transcends with what we do as a collective. Our work and exposure it’s primarily club focused but the connection with people, especially young people, teaching them is something that is very integral. 

Sophia: I’m Sophia but my DJ name is Sophia Violet. I am from the South West but I go to uni in Liverpool which is how I met everyone and became part of the collective. I am currently studying Law right now, so hoping to take that somewhere but at the same time hoping I can do the same with DJing! 

Matty: My name is Matty Chiabi. I am a radio presenter and DJ. Born and bred in Brixton went to school with Gaia. She begged me at a party in year 9 and ended up going to the same 6th Form! We have been friends ever since. I went to uni in Manchester and with Gaia going to Liverpool, there was a lot of back forth between the 2 cities. I am always in Liverpool! That’s where I got to meet Sophia and Hannah, which of course led to the creation of Girls Don’t Sync. On the side, I work for a Brixton based creative arts and music charity for young people and also teach a DJ course for women! 

FP: It’s nice to hear that you guys do more than DJ and see a much larger picture with how you can support others. Has that always been the initial goal when you came together as a collective?

Gaia: It just is! 

Hannah: Having the 4 of us together is almost like a safety net. 

Matty: We all started somewhere as well. I picked up DJing in lockdown and that was really hard. There was a lot of thought put into how you get these opportunities and what is going to happen when the world reopens. I didn’t really have that safety net and wasn’t sure who to go to find these opportunities. We want to make sure that other women have that support to help them. 

Sophia: Yeah exactly. If it wasn’t for people like Gaia, Hannah and Matty who gave me a lot of confidence I wouldn’t have got to where I am. 

Hannah: When I started DJing 5 years ago there was no other DJ I could go to. 

G33: Especially in Liverpool. Our love for the North is very deep rooted for all of us! Liverpool was the first place we played together as a 4, we have a base there. London and Manchester as well, hugely important to us. Manchester is interesting to play in as a city musically, I feel like our sets are different according to the city we are in. We never want to play the same set twice, if you have a listen to our sets which you have! We have a set of go to tracks which make our sound as a collective. For me though, being a good DJ is also about crowd consciousness and exposing them to new music. There is no better feeling than having someone walk up to you and being like – what was that track? What Genre is this? I think that’s what makes it so nice!

Sophia: I feel like as there are 4 of us, there is so much new music we can show, we can adapt ourselves according to the crowd. 

Matty: We all like different things too. Yes there are tracks we all like but for example, Gaia is gonna bring some Punjabi Garage, Sophia is gonna bring some madness, Hannah is gonna bring some Bassline and I may throw in some Afrobeats. It just works, we kind of cater to everyone because we represent everyone. We are all so different but when we come together it’s just like, wow. We are 4 individuals but together just make sense. I think that’s why people are attracted to us. 

G33: The support we’ve had has been amazing, even at Somerset House! Sorry to sound like a broken record but, women coming up to us and being like WOW! Even after a set when we walk around and talk to people, there is just a warmth in the room that we get. With there being a decline of female DJs in Liverpool it’s really nice to see how much support we get. 

Sophia: The crowd has such an amazing energy that makes you want to just be yourself. I think that is different to anything I have ever experienced before with crowds, just becoming one. That’s also one of the things that makes being a 4 so good, as one of us DJs the others are interacting with the crowd.

FP: That’s a really nice touch to bring into everything! 

Sophia: I think the first time we really noticed that was Baltic Weekender, we were all dancing on stage. 

G33: Inviting people up to dance!

Matty: Pouring gin in peoples mouths! 

Hannah: Every time we do a DJ set we want it to feel like a party!

G33: My mum always says where do you get this energy from, I feel with all us putting that energy out it’s then reciprocated by the crowd and we get it back. We just have fun whilst we do it! It works. When it comes to respect and payment, as 4 women within this industry, navigating that and having those conversations to make sure we are being treated with respect. 

FP: And getting your due dividend.

G33: Sometimes we feel people just see 4 girls jumping around on stage but we are dedicated to this and it is important to us. 

Matty: On top of that though…. We can actually DJ! When we first started there was a lot of ‘mmm can they DJ though?’ We can mix and blend! When you see the Insta highlights of us jumping around and doing cartwheels, just know there is always one of us taking care of the blend! 

FP: When people see you guys obviously they notice you’re a team of 4. What’s it like doing a b2b2b2b every show, it must be chaotic at times?

Hannah: We keep things to 2 tracks each to make it a bit less stressful. 

Sophia: It just feels natural a lot of the time.

FP: What was the first show like?

Matty: The first show was ‘Return to Rave’. 

G33: Which was the first time the clubs reopened on ‘Freedom Day’ on the 19th July. Baring in mind we formed together during the height of covid during lockdown. We already had done some sit down events for people. Going from that to a rave type setting. 

Sophia: It was the first time I played to a crowd that was standing up! 

Matty: It was my first time too! Return to Rave was the first one and it just felt natural. People always ask if it’s hard? Do you know what each other is going to play before? The answer to all that is no! We don’t know what’s coming next, even when I play I don’t know what it is I am going to be playing! 

Hannah: There’s no rehearsals, everything is just go!

G33: We all have different schedules in life too, our timetables are crazy! So when we do get to play together there is a sense of relaxation. 

Sophia: If we do make any mistakes it makes it easier having everyone around you too. 

G33: Mistakes are going to happen, sometimes the decks don’t do what you want them to do. 

Matty: Sometimes you just get too waved and the beats don’t seem to want to match up hahaha! We have fun though and everyone picks each other up! 

G33: At Keep Hush I even pressed play on the wrong deck and all the music stopped! I think I turned around and my lip just quivered haha! If I was by myself it would have got to me a lot more but having everyone put me at ease. 

FP: Well I can tell you from our side that the Keep Hush was class! Human error is a natural thing and not something worth worrying about. 

G33: We want to be creative in the way we mix, loop and chop. I am going to take risks during my set to push myself and try new things. 

Matty: I don’t think we play it safe, we try to get creative. I want to master the technique, whether that be loops, chops, effects it doesn’t matter. We are always watching and learning from each other also when we perform! It just means that when we next perform, I want to try that new technique. 

Sophia: The best place to try new things out is live with the crowd!

FP: I guess it’s the only way you are going to get a reception and real feel from people. 

Sophia: Exactly it’s one thing practicing on your own at home but it’s another story live. 

G33: That’s what I mean about crowd consciousness. There is no better feeling than playing a song that people know, when I am out and it happens to me I can’t help myself but to sing along! Playing things that are nostalgic that have been spun into different edits it just gets people going. 

Hannah: It’s a case bringing familiar sounds together in one place. 

Matty: For me when I first started DJing, I wasn’t really into Electronic music. The stuff I play now, once upon a time I would have listened to and said no. Whereas now the harder the better! That’s one of the things I love about DJing, there is so much music out there. We want to expose people to that but also offer a bit of comfort at the same time, we will give you Destiny’s Child but we’re gonna make it jumpy! 

G33: Even after the last 5 months just playing harsher Afrobeats or Punjabi Garage the world of music, is the world! There are so many producers that send us stuff as well which I think is such a nice relationship to have. That idea of playing stuff by people that you know to crowds and sending them videos showing them how much they loved it is something special. Sophia and I were producing in lockdown and Matty played one of Sophia’s edits recently!

Matty: I even had people coming up to me asking me who it was! I told them ‘That’s my giiiiirrrrllll!’

G33: That’s something as we progress I would like to get back into. You need to be in the mood to produce but it’s worth it. I am a perfectionist! 

FP: Moving slightly away from you DJings then. Where did the name come from?

Matty: I am going to take full credit on this one! There was a situation where we had to change the name last minute, which we won’t get into. I was in the shower (where I get my best ideas) and thought, what can we call ourselves that’s smart? I ended up thinking about the sync button on the decks and next thing you know ‘Girls Don’t Sync’ came to mind! 

G33: We were thinking about the stigmas behind women. There have been times where I performed in London at one of my first sets and they let me through a separate door because they thought I was working behind the bar. Another time I had a sound engineer walk me through on how to DJ, made me feel really patronised and undermined. It’s even happened to us as a 4 with attitudes towards us. When we are talking to people I feel like I really have to overcompensate, if we as women are seen to be too direct it will then create a negative stigma around female DJs but if a man is direct it seems to be fine. It was just a case figuring out how we can imbed these stigmas into our name. 

FP: The things that we have already spoken about on the outreach and support side of things will also help break those negatives down further. It’s a mad thing to hear the way people can treat you when you have world class female DJs in the world. To think up and coming artists like yourselves aren’t seen in the same light is rubbish.  

Matty: Yeah! It’s down to everything from gender all the way down to how we look. I may want to wear a dress and heels one day and then maybe be playing some heavy Bassline set the next, people just go off your appearance. If I do want to dress up or look a bit glam like our lovely Hannah Lynch who always does! You then don’t expect us to play certain types of music. 

G33: It’s when people ask what you do, you tell them you’re a DJ and the response you get is ‘oh you don’t look like a DJ.’ You are then thinking what does a DJ look like? I was talking to a friend of mine because she was watching old videos of me and mentioned how I used to dress very boyish during my sets. The mad part about that was that subconsciously I was wearing t-shirts to my set because I didn’t want to be sexualised. Now that’s gone I wear what I want. 

Matty: I thought the same, now I don’t care. How I look does not matter at the end of the day, it’s about the music. I like to think that once you meet us, we give off good energy. Unfortunately the industry has some questionable characters, at the end of the day we are trying to do some good. Like you said, the bigger picture is to help support other women. We want to start an ongoing thing where we can help pave the way for upcoming female DJs giving them the platform we didn’t have. 

FP: Well that leads perfectly onto the next question, where do you see Girls Don’t Sync going?

Hannah: International! 

G33: Getting out of the UK, we were supposed to be playing in Amsterdam last weekend! We would have been playing on the last day of the event and that would have given us time to enjoy the city and experience club culture out there. We want to bring that essence of connection and community to any place we go to. 

Sophia: Like I was saying earlier our sets are more like parties and I would love to do that at a big festival! Loads of people, a whole new crowd! 

FP: I have no doubts that is on the horizon for you all! 

G33: Workshops as well! We all teach in our own ways and we would love to do that on a larger scale! Ideally we would like to make them free for people so would love to work with an organisation or something to run it. 

FP: What got you all into DJing then individually?

Sophia: So my mum is a DJ. She stopped after having 4 of us but recently picked it back up again. I always wanted to learn and used lockdown as the opportunity to do so. I started on House but later discovered that UK Garage is my one true love! I started connecting with people from Liverpool online before I went back up and got involved with an event called Pinnacles of Garage where I am a resident and help organise the events. Being with Girls Don’t Sync has definitely broadened out what I play now though. 

Matty: Same as Sophia really, I started in lockdown after I lost my job. My older brother is also a DJ so it runs in the family! Going back to the party element of Girls Don’t Sync, we have all been so into the party side of things. When we were younger we would just watch DJs thinking wow this is interesting! Gaia only got into DJing over the summer. 

G33: Because of a DJ course they got me for my birthday! The day after I had that course, I loved it so much that I went out and bought a controller that same day! 

Hannah: I didn’t know that! That’s so cute! 

G33: This was the mad bit. Before I even met Hannah there were literally no other female DJs in Liverpool, so I messaged her asking if I would be allowed to shadow her and became friends after that! We used to do DJ workshops at our local community centre in Liverpool so we would meet up to plan what we were going to teach the kids that day! 

*Hannah starts crying*

Matty: I can’t believe you’re crying! 

FP: This just shows how close you are. 

G33: We were saying the same thing. You hear about us as a collective or as a group but people don’t see the other side to it. When we aren’t working we are all going out, we are really good friends. We spend a lot of time together. I feel that separates us from a lot of people. The love we have for each other really resonates. 

Hannah: My dads a DJ so music has always been in my household. I started DJing when I was 20 and I’m 26 now. So 6 years! I always had the equipment in my home but never got into it. We had a family party once and I started messing about on the deck and after that I was like yeah this is what I want to do. 

G33: There is this girl called Jade who is from Liverpool and comes to pretty much all our sets. She even came up to us and said – stuff it I am buying a controller and now DJing! Posting things on her IG and all sorts! 

FP: How would you go about getting sets when you start out?

Matty: It’s just a case of putting yourself out there on instagram or whatever and having fun whilst doing it! Good things will follow, trust me!

Sophia: People ask this quite a lot! You need to put the effort out there, Instagram is great for that. You need to post and also support other DJs, putting effort into going to other people’s events showing love. More than anything though it’s a case of not caring what you look like and just doing it. 

G33: Use Instagram as a CV! 

Matty: And bigging up other people, if you got something going on we want to be able to share that. 

FP: It is a community at the end of the day so that makes sense. Gotta show the love to those who need it. 

Matty:  Exactly! Even when we organise our own events, we try to get people involved and show support to both men and women. 

G33: Protecting our extended team (our friends) is something that’s really important to us too. We all work together, they are just as much part of GDS! Phoebe shoots all of our shows, Nas will do our admin bits, Kolade will dance as part of our set. Also protecting and celebrating the LGBTQIA+ community will always be something we fight for, we’ve got 0 tolerance to anyone who threatens that. We did have one incident though that he was subject to some nasty homophobia, Matty had to even get on the mic and say something, we refused to play until it was resolved. Security were refusing to remove the person from the crowd, they wouldn’t even let Kolade come on stage with us even though he was part of our entourage. Some people aren’t safe in these crowds and we wanted our friends on stage so that they can be safe and freely express themselves. He is an incredible dancer! The fact Matty had to get on the mic was silly, we refused to press play until this person was gone. We don’t tolerate behaviour like this and we will call it out live if we see it happening, it’s hugely important to us that everyone feels safe and free in our space. 

Matty: If you think we are being divas then that’s your issue. We are here to fight for people to be treated equally. 

G33: We refuse to play at any venue that doesn’t follow that same idea…… Hanger 34.

Sophia: We are now barred there. They said that we kicked up a fuss and we weren’t welcome back all because we tried to make sure our friend wasn’t going to get abused. 

G33: Fortunately enough after posting about that a lot of promoters in Liverpool have said they aren’t going to work with them anymore because of it. 

Matty: There are a handful of people within this industry that have really supported us since day one – shout out Conducta! He listens to everything we say, he supports and gives us the time of day. 

G33: We aren’t afraid to call something out! To have other promoters stand with us and listen to what we have to say really does make a difference. 

FP: Before we let you go we like to ask all of the people we get to interview if there is anything that they would like to share with the Footpatrol community to get them excited or could even be a message of positivity?

All: Support others around you and you will be supported, that’s what we live by and be yourself! It’s so easy to think that you need to be someone else but you just need to be the most authentic version of yourself. You will flourish because there is no one else like you! Your individuality and sexuality is your superpower! 

Another year done… Now that we’re nearly at the end of 2021 we sat down with some of TEAMFP to discuss the hot topic of ‘Shoe of the Year’. For this, we didn’t sit down and discuss the most hyped releases of the year, we discussed what our individual picks were. Now this may have included the most hyped releases but it also gave the team an opportunity to showcase a unique insight to their individual tastes and what makes a sneaker great to them. For what felt like a quieter year as a whole in terms of launches compared to 2020, we were still greeted with numerous stand out performers that once again took us to a new level.

Notably, we saw Nike take a new spin on their collaborations. With regular collaborators to the table such as Sacai, Union LA, Aleali May and Off White we saw the introduction of three way collaborations with the likes of Sacai teaming up with CLOT, UNDERCOVER and Fragment Design for individual takes on the LDWaffle.

Another strong year for New Balance with the return of collaborations from Salehe bembury and jjjjound. All whilst producing stand out inline performers like their 2002R Protection Pack proving ever popular and was a recurring feature on our staff rotations throughout the year. This year also saw the return of the 990 story with New Balance revisiting V1, V2 and V3 so far.

Adidas continued their partnerships throughout the year with Sean Wotherspoon and the likes of Human Made and Pharrell Williams being main focus points. YEEZY continues to be a fan favourite with new and old iterations of the 350 proving a forever popular silhouette and with the introduction of more FOAM RUNNER colour ways and the likes of the 450, we’re excited to see what Kanye has up his sleeve for 2022. Notable mention from the Footpatrol team has to be the South Park ‘Towelie’, a unique collaboration that ended with a visually perfect product.

We also wanted to take this moment to once again pay tributes to one of the greats, Virgil Abloh. Someone who inspired many, Virgil was always looking for ways to help provide a voice for all. Virgil was a true and rare visionary who had such a huge impact on our world and was someone who was constantly innovating and working to improve the industry. Our thoughts and condolences continue to go out to his family and those closest to him. Thanks for providing us with many memories, you’ll never be forgotten.

With all that said, take a look at some of our teams picks below and let us know what you thought!

Alice: UNDEFEATED x Nike Dunk Low

Tom: Angelo Baque x ASICS GEL-KAYANO 14

Chey: Aleali May x Air Jordan XIV Low

Bradley: Comme des Garçons x Nike Foamposite

Matt: A Ma Maniére x Air Jordan III

Jake: PEACEMINUSONE x Nike Kwondo1

Billy: New Balance 2002R Protection Pack ‘Phantom’

Wilson: Air Jordan IV ‘Lightning’

Eddie: Stadium Goods x BAPE Sta

In 2021, the Air Jordan 1 has had a momentous year throughout its High to Low iterations. From inline retros to collaboration projects, the AJ1 is always expected to pull its weight for consumers. At the back end of the year, Jordan Brand introduces its latest release perfect for the colder months. For the first time ever, Jordan Brand are implementing one of the toughest weatherproof materials around – GORE-TEX. A popular component to tackle wind and water, GORE-TEX is synonymous to mountaineering, hiking, trekking and other outdoor activities. However, it has also been a huge mainstay to lifestyle fashion apparel and footwear.

For this latest Air Jordan 1, keeping its original shape, GORE-TEX covers the sneaker’s underlays and toe box while premium waterproof nubuck leather on the overlays provides protection. For full winter-weather coverage, a GORE-TEX inner bootie, tongue and plush lining inside the collar keep your feet locked-in, dry and warm as you trek through winter’s worst. reflective-design Swoosh, GORE-TEX branding and an Air Jordan Wings logo clipped to the heel complete this historic and innovative technical update for the Air Jordan 1.

The Air Jordan 1 High GORE-TEX is now sold out!

The YEEZY BOOST 350 V2 MX Rock features an upper composed of multi-toned re-engineered PRIMEKNIT. The post-dyed monofilament side stripe is woven into the upper. The Midsole Utilises adidas’ innovative BOOST technology.

PLEASE TAKE TIME TO READ THE BELOW!

The London in-store draw is now closed!

The ONLINE draw is live over on the Footpatrol Launches App, CLICK HERE to download!

To enter, you’re required to sign up via the above forms, these WON’T be available in-store to sign up on. 

In-store winners will be contacted via email informing them of their win. Within this email, winners will be given a set of dates in which they must collect their win from our London store. To collect, you will need to provide the winning email and a valid photographic government ID matching the winners name. NO ONE can collect on the winners behalf. Failure to provide this, or failure to collect within the given dates will mean failure to purchase your win.

To sign up to the Online draw, you will need to download the Footpatrol Launches app and complete a pre-authorisation payment of the retail price of the product plus shipping costs. This will be held until completion of the draw. Those successful will have their win posted out to the address entered during sign up. Those unsuccessful will see a return of their funds, this can take up to 5 working days from when the winners have been drawn.

PLEASE TAKE TIME TO READ THE BELOW!

The London in-store draw is now closed!

The ONLINE draw is live over on the Footpatrol Launches App, CLICK HERE to download!

To enter, you’re required to sign up via the above forms, these WON’T be available in-store to sign up on. 

In-store winners will be contacted via email informing them of their win. Within this email, winners will be given a set of dates in which they must collect their win from our London store. To collect, you will need to provide the winning email and a valid photographic government ID matching the winners name. NO ONE can collect on the winners behalf. Failure to provide this, or failure to collect within the given dates will mean failure to purchase your win.

To sign up to the Online draw, you will need to download the Footpatrol Launches app and complete a pre-authorisation payment of the retail price of the product plus shipping costs. This will be held until completion of the draw. Those successful will have their win posted out to the address entered during sign up. Those unsuccessful will see a return of their funds, this can take up to 5 working days from when the winners have been drawn.

Ever since its arrival on court way back in 1985, the Air Jordan 1 has become an iconic symbol on the streets as much as it had on the B-Ball courts. With countless iterations and collaborations since that birth its no wonder the Air Jordan 1 is a go to for many sneaker enthusiasts.

This latest take however draws on a more craftsmanship approach with the Air Jordan 1 ‘Craft’. Built with a handcrafted approach in mind, this latest design features a mix of over layered panels of colours and materials to create this stand out iteration. Soft leathers connect with rich nubuck and canvas each featuring its own bold colour to really bring this silhouette to life.

PLEASE TAKE TIME TO READ THE BELOW!

The London in-store draw is now closed!

The ONLINE draw is live over on the Footpatrol Launches App, CLICK HERE to download!

To enter, you’re required to sign up via the above forms, these WON’T be available in-store to sign up on. 

In-store winners will be contacted via email informing them of their win. Within this email, winners will be given a set of dates in which they must collect their win from our London store. To collect, you will need to provide the winning email and a valid photographic government ID matching the winners name. NO ONE can collect on the winners behalf. Failure to provide this, or failure to collect within the given dates will mean failure to purchase your win.

To sign up to the Online draw, you will need to download the Footpatrol Launches app and complete a pre-authorisation payment of the retail price of the product plus shipping costs. This will be held until completion of the draw. Those successful will have their win posted out to the address entered during sign up. Those unsuccessful will see a return of their funds, this can take up to 5 working days from when the winners have been drawn.

Debuting its unmistakable fit in 1964. The Clarks Wallabees, a distinctive member of the Clarks Originals collection, has teamed up with Brooklyn based waffle house Sweet Chick for a modern iteration of the iconic silhouette. Under the creative provision of Clarks creative director Paolo Gabrielli, the waffle-inspired moccasin fit is one of many collaborations this year that sports an idiosyncratic spin on the beloved originals. 

Sweet Chick, a well-renowned fried chicken and waffle restaurant based in New York was founded by John Seymour in 2013 and was later backed by the legendary rapper NAS in 2015. The restaurant became such a popular franchise that it turned into a chain of stores across the US and imminently one in London. Clarks Originals collaboration with Sweet Chick is quite unconventional- playing homage to their staple waffles- an all time favourite American snack.  

Solidifying its unique and cultural collaboration this year, the British born shoe brand has opted for an unorthodox spin on their classic Wallabee silhouette. The newborn Clarks Originals x Sweet Wallabee pairing indulges in a hairy suede moccasin composition, to mimic the waffles whilst diamond detailing perforates the vamp for added waffle like texture. What’s more, an added front lace closure for a snug and secure fit, with added embroidered stitching around the toe cap for an eloquent touch. The unique fit is rounded up with a wedge crepe rubber sole for durability, comfort and an authentic Clarks finish. The timeless design is previewed in two colourways, Brown/Red and Natural/Green for ultimate taste to your Clarks footwear rotation.

Launching online at Footpatrol on Tuesday 14th December!

Pioneering a court fit in 95, the Air Jordan 11 silhouette has always been a credible and unique sighted silhouette within the Jordan lineage.The sleek and memorable shoes that owns its stand-out style is under the creative visionary of iconic Nike designer Tinker Hatfield. Whether it is  gracing the basketball courts, paired with a tracksuit ensemble,  or  even its unconventional wearings with a suit, the Jordan 11’s are legendary in subverting its own burrowing style making it a quintessential for style inspiration. 

A synonymous Michael Jordan favourite, the Jordan 11 holds undeniable history. Returning after a short-lived departure from the Chicago Bulls franchise, Michael Jordan’s courtly appearance  in 1995 saw  the first benign sightings of the distinctive ‘11’s in a full-fledged, primal “concord” colourings of white and black.

This year marks 20 years following the debut of the ‘Cool’ Grey colourway and since then, the OG ‘Cool Grey’ iteration has become an unrivalled favourite. The newest rendition to the Jordan roster, is the Nike  Air Jordan 11 ‘Cool Grey’. On offer, a distinctive patent leather overlays upper in a darker tone, infused  with a nubuck leather that indulges a soft ‘Cool’ grey tone, whilst the signature Jumpman logo is meticulously embroidered on the collar. The court to street fit further rocks a thick lace closure for added durability, rounded off with an translucent icy blue insole for added cushioning and support. 

Sporting it’s voluntary influence in everyday life, Footpatrol have teamed up with Hoops B4 Work in a campaign showcasing the upcoming launch of the ‘Cool Grey’ Air Jordan 11 collection and it’s unrivalled influence that shoes has on physical activity. 

Hoops B4 Work is a community of basketball enthusiasts that aim to re-engage individuals who have a passion for the game as well as  developing healthy long life habits to be active, increasing their mental well-being. The Clapham-based basketball community provides access to their basketball through their unique coaching  sessions that deliver between 6.30-7.45am as a gym alternative, uplifting your mood and preparing you for the work day. The bespoke classes are tailored to fit your needs and lifestyle, supporting players of all levels.

At Footpatrol we had the pleasure of featuring co-founder of sneaker sisterhood and b-ball fanatic Giulia Zed and coach Ruth in a captivating photoshoot concept. We catch up with them to discuss the trainer’s sporting influence.

Footpatrol: We ask everybody that we interview a starting question of how are you?

Giulia: I am good thanks, how are you?

FP: I am good thank you. I would say introduce yourself but I would say can you do that a little bit but you are already an recognisable figure in this scene, people know who you are. If anything could you give us a brief overview for anyone who may not be aware and also where your love for basketball and Jordan’s started. 

Giulia: I am Giulia, I am one of the co-founders of sneaker sisterhood and I am a basketball player. I am originally from Italy, that’s why my accent is a little funny. I started playing basketball when I was really little. My dad played pro-back at home and he kind of shared that love with me. I started playing when I was around 12 years old and never really got off the basketball court since. I really fell in love with it due to mainly the community that surrounded me. I would always play individual sports like swimming and tennis, so in an environment with a team sport was really just something that changed my life. I made friends for life, it was an amazing community, people that I saw six times a week, sometimes twice a day, it really gave me a home and a sense of belonging. 

FP: Could you touch on a little bit on how your love for the Jordan brand kicked off?

Giulia: Yeah, growing up in Italy again, all I would see of the Jordan brand was quite far removed. I had a family that lived out in the states and one of my older cousins, actually fourteen years older , would always send shoes back home or whenever he visited from Miami he would be wearing Jordan stuff. Obviously, I would then see clips of Michael Jordan, of the Bulls and so on, I really started to get into that more American side of basketball. It wasn’t until later on that I was able to start forcing my parents to buy those shoes, obviously I was a little kid and I couldn’t afford them but the impact that it had on me and my love for basketball was quite evident. My parents gave in and started picking up pieces here and there when I could find my size and it continued from there.

FP: Let’s touch a bit on basketball itself and the culture that surrounds it. How do you think this has affected London as a city since you have been here?

Giulia: I have been in London on and off for a total of about 10 years now. I’ve seen the scene change a lot in that time. Basketball has become a lot more prevalent, there’s been a lot more investment in the sport , even though not as much as we need just yet. But for me, basketball is what has always given me access to friendships in London, it is how I met most of my close friends, going to my local court in Clapham and being able to meet people through the sport. Like every city, I think, but in London it just feels really special because it is a smaller community and it may be continental in Europe or in the States but it is a really tightly knit community and it is really fantastic to see. Anytime I go to any tournament or any court there is always someone I know, it is just family really.  

FP: Could you tell us a bit about your involvement in Hoops B4 Work and how you found out about it? 

Giulia: Hoops B4 Work saved me, especially during Covid. It was around 2 years ago, my friend Darnell who used to work at the NBA and I knew her through work was like you need to come to these morning sessions. We play outside, we are allowed even with pandemic rules, we are even allowed to play outdoors, just come it’s early in the morning but it will really help you get back into fitness. I reluctantly started heading out at 6.30 in the morning in the outdoor courts in Clapham in the freezing cold and I met coach Ruth and just her energy and vibe and everything that she does just made me fall in love with the Hoops B4 Work community. I am not a morning person but I was going 4 days a week to the Hoops B4 Work sessions, the scrimmages, everything. Generally it saved me during Covid because for my mental health basketball is really important and during lockdown, not being able to play indoors was really affecting me, so finding a space where I could be around my people again was incredible.

FP: Just to build off what you were saying on the mental side of things and also the physical side of everything. Could you explain in more depth how you think it affected yourself and the individuals that you get to be with all the time in train sessions?

Giulia: First of all, what I find amazing about Hoops B4 Work is that it is open to everyone. We do so much on individual practice as well, on top of the scrimmages and the team play where anybody can join which is amazing. You’ll have 18 year olds that come and play, you have 45 year olds that come and play, you have people that maybe just joined basketball a couple years ago and you have veterans of the sport. I think it is incredible to see the impact that it has on so many people and how it makes new people fall in love with the sport as well. But mentally, for me, basketball is really my safe space. Hoops B4 Work- I really think it is because of Coach Ruth, I am a big fan of hers, but her energy is so infectious and she just brings so much good energy. Sometimes I get a little frustrated with myself from the way I play and she is always so positive, like this voice in the back of my head that is super positive. Both physically and mentally that really helps me to keep a positive mindset. I really see that with everyone else in Hoops B4 Work as well, she is just able to have this impact on everyone, it doesn’t matter age, gender and so on, she is really a great, positive presence in this space. 

FP: I want to talk about your huge involvement besides training, a competitive edge to what you do, playing for the London All-Stars, how has that been going and how did your involvement in that start?

Giulia: First off we are undefeated and we are absolutely smashing the league. It is actually a new team that Coach Ruth and Coach Lisa registered for the first time to really push and elevate women’s basketball in the UK. They wanted to put together a really strong team that could show everything that we can do but also what we can do with female coaches and a whole female effort behind the scenes. Which I am fully supportive of  and I think it is incredible. I got involved, thanks to Coach Ruth and it has been amazing to be a part of this new team. The girls are incredible, so much talent, a lot of homegrown talent, plenty of amazing British girls but also exciting to see a lot of foreign talent coming in. We got Spanish girls, Italian girls and French girls- a really unique community. 

FP: To sign it all off, is there anything you would like to share to the Footpatrol friends and family, that could be anything from getting people gassed about something, a message of positivity, whatever you like.

Giulia: I would say just remember how important keeping active is, as part of your lifestyle it is good for your mental health, it is good for your fitness. The endorphins it releases is really good, times have been tough, we have to stick together. Find your community, find people that make you feel good and stick around them. 

FP: Let’s talk about your basketball and Jordan relationship

Giulia: Yeah, so Jordan’s have always been a part of my basketball journey,I’ve gone through quite a few of the silhouettes growing up. I am currently playing the Jordan 36’s which are epic, the 11’s as we were saying before was one of the silhouettes that have the technology for me to play and I love them. It was one of my first entries into the Jordan brand with  the Space Jam’s in 2009, I’ve gone through the ‘Concords’ and yeah this colourway I have never owned the ‘Cool Greys’ , these are absolutely incredible and the materials are really insane. The tongue is so nice , I think these will definitely be a part of my lifestyle/ potential crossover to the court collection.

FP: Can we talk about how the Jordans have been synonymous with the game and the lifestyle, and how it has always been an icon and it’s historically rooted  to the game.

Giulia: I think as far as I remember, Jordan brand has been literally basketball, I don’t think you can split the two. When you think about basketball you think about Jordan, you think about Jordan brand, you think about everything that the brand has achieved in the sports in terms of technology, materials for a performance side but also from a lifestyle side. If you weren’t wearing Jordans are you a part of that community? Do you know about basketball? Because they are absolutely iconic and at the core of the basketball community itself.

FP: Just to extend on that question and answer, as your part of Hoops B4 Work as well as the Sneaker Sisterhood, how does the Jordan brand relate to what you’re doing and what you’re a part of from both Hoops B4 Work and Sneaker Sisterhood?

Giulia: Yeah, I guess everybody that I play basketball with has played in Jordans , wears Jordans and is a true fan of Michael Jordan, the connection is obvious. In terms of Sneaker Sisterhood I’ve actually met a lot of girls through the sisterhood that actually play basketball so that connection is always there and we are all really excited now that the Jordan brand has signed so many WNBA players to the brand. I wear the Jordan 36’s that Satou Sabally did the launch with and it is good to see Kia Nurse get a colourway as well , it is exciting for the brand to work with so many female athletes. In terms of Hoops B4 Work, because so many of  the people from Hoops B4 Work are born and bred Brits and the Jordan brand is actually such a big part of British culture and streetwear culture.  It is actually amazing to see how it has transferred from everything they wear on court to wear outdoors to lifestyle. Whenever I see all my friends and we’re all going out they will always have 11’s on foot, 4’s on foot, 3’s on foot, it is an obvious collection.

Pioneering a court fit in 95, the Air Jordan 11 silhouette has always been a credible and unique sighted silhouette within the Jordan lineage. The sleek and memorable shoes that owns its stand-out style is under the creative visionary of iconic Nike designer Tinker Hatfield. Whether it is  gracing the basketball courts, paired with a tracksuit ensemble, or even its unconventional wearings with a suit, the Jordan 11’s are legendary in subverting its own burrowing style making it a quintessential for style inspiration. 

A synonymous Michael Jordan favourite, the Jordan 11 holds undeniable history. Returning after a short-lived departure from the Chicago Bulls franchise, Michael Jordan’s courtly appearance  in 1995 saw the first benign sightings of the distinctive ‘11’s in a full-fledged, primal “concord” colourings of white and black.

This year marks 20 years following the debut of the ‘Cool’ Grey colourway and since then, the ‘OG Cool’ Grey iteration has become an unrivalled favourite. The newest rendition to the Jordan roster, is the Nike  Air Jordan 11 ‘Cool Grey’. On offer, a distinctive patent leather overlays upper in a darker tone, infused  with a nubuck leather that indulges a soft ‘Cool’ grey tone, whilst the signature Jumpman logo is meticulously embroidered on the collar. The court to street fit further rocks a thick lace closure for added durability, rounded off with an translucent icy blue insole for added cushioning and support. 

Sporting it’s voluntary influence in everyday life, Footpatrol have teamed up with Hoops B4 Work in a campaign showcasing the upcoming launch of the ‘Cool Grey’ Air Jordan 11 collection and it’s unrivalled influence that shoes has on physical activity. 

Hoops B4 Work is a community of basketball enthusiasts that aim to re-engage individuals who have a passion for the game as well as developing healthy long life habits to be active, increasing their mental well-being. The Clapham-based basketball community provides access to their basketball through their unique coaching sessions that deliver between 6.30-7.45am as a gym alternative, uplifting your mood and preparing you for the work day. The bespoke classes are tailored to fit your needs and lifestyle, supporting players of all levels.

At Footpatrol we had the pleasure of featuring co-founder of sneaker sisterhood and b-ball fanatic Giulia Zed and coach Ruth in a captivating photoshoot concept. We catch up with them to discuss the trainer’s sporting influence.

Footpatrol: We start off all our interviews by asking, how are you ?

Coach Ruth: I am fine Bradley, how are you doing?

FP: I am good thank you. I must admit I don’t get asked that all the time on the other side of the interviews, thank you!  Well, Coach Ruth we have heard so many amazing things about you, only positives of course. For those that haven’t had the pleasure to have met you yet, could you give us a bit of an insight as to who you are and what you do.

Coach Ruth: My name is Coach Ruth and I am the founder of Hoops B4 Work, an adult basketball session that runs 6.30 in the morning to 7.30, 3 days a week.

FP: Could you give us a bit of an insight of how your love for basketball started?

Coach Ruth: I started playing basketball when I was 11 at secondary school and continued to when I was about 20, I am not going to tell you how old I am now. But I still play , my kids play and I coach women , adults, men, children and I just love the game, what it brings to people’s lives and the social aspect of it most importantly. 

FP: Over all the years you have been playing starting from 11 to present day coaching, how do you see basketball and the culture around it affect London as a city?

Coach Ruth: I just think basketball gives people an opportunity to meet new people from different backgrounds, mainly females. It brings smaller communities together but also grows the wider communities across the borough.

FP: Have you seen more opportunities arise over the years with basketball?

Coach Ruth: Yeah, I think there are more opportunities for anybody to play basketball. You can go to any borough in London and find an indoor court, an outdoor court. There’s more opportunities for females in the game to coach, to play, to referee but basketball has grown across the whole and there’s different elements you can get involved in.

FP: Obviously we are here to focus on Hoops B4 Work and everything that you do behind it, can we get a little insight as to what made you want to start Hoops B4 Work? 

Coach Ruth: Hoops B4 Work was started for two different reasons. One because I was a referee and I was getting abused by players that didn’t really understand the game but wanted to learn the game but their frustration was coming out because they didn’t understand the rules. The other one was that my son kept waking me up at 6 o’clock in the morning asking to go coach him in the court, so I was like well there is a shortage of availability of courts, so why not teach people that want to play and then my son could go to that. He could have people to play with, also I could help people learn the game.

FP: How have you seen it bringing people together and as you said across multiple different backgrounds affect people physically and mentally? Have you seen a positive change?

Coach Ruth: Yeah, the people that come to my sessions are aimed at those that used to play in school, university and college.The social aspects that improve in their skills development but also creating a behaviour change. It is about packing your bags the night before, improving mental health, getting people to have a fun time but also improving their basketball skills at the same time. 

FP: Would you like to keep Hoops B4 Work an London based organisation? Or one day would you like to see it grow nationwide?

Coach Ruth: I would love to see it grow worldwide, getting more people playing from whichever country you are in, whichever time zone you are in and just get people playing the game, whatever level both male and female. Just really growing the game to a next level.

FP: To sign everything off, is there anything you would like to share to Footpatrol readers, listeners, the lot whether that would be something to get them excited for, a message of positivity, anything. 

Coach Ruth: I think Hoops B4 Work caters for all, we just did a female focused tournament which I am so proud about. We are getting more women playing, more female refs, videographers but also catering for the men as well. We do mix tournaments, if you are interested in playing whether you are a beginner, an elite person or whether you want to get involved with coaching just come down to Hoops B4 Work, we’ve got something for everyone.

FP: Coach Ruth, what does basketball mean to you ?

Coach Ruth :That’s a great question, I just love the game, I love meeting new people and teaching people. I love seeing people grow and develop their confidence, I do it everyday so it is a part of my DNA. When people say that it is actually something that I love doing, it is not about payment, it is not about the hours put in, it is about the end product and how you see people develop and grow on and off the court. That is both for adults and kids. 

FP: Let’s talk about the need for the community in London, the community that Hoops B4 Work brings, what kind of transformations have you seen in people building that community?

Coach Ruth: Hoops B4 Work has built a wider community in Basketball. One of the oldest people to come in was 65, the youngest person has been 18. Once you see people develop you even have  some of the wives saying to me ‘wow their partner has transformed and improved, they have lost weight, they are in a better mental state.’ It is just about giving people an opportunity to play. At 6.30 in the morning the courts are free, so you are never going to get an obstacle, the only obstacle is you getting out of bed. Other than that it is an environment that is welcoming, any ability can come to Hoops we’ll teach you and help you grow.

FP: Let’s talk a little bit more about the importance of growing the women’s side of the game. Firstly, why is there a need for improving the women’s game and how are you going about it? 

Coach Ruth: My passion is to improve women’s access to basketball. There is a lack of opportunity for women to play in the game but I am about to change that and create a female focused environment where women feel empowered, where women support other women and we are on a journey together. It can’t be done alone, if there are any females out there that want to get involved, you don’t have to be able to play, it could be through administration, coaching or it could just be I want to give it a go. My passion is to create further opportunities. I have a son that plays, a daughter that plays both that don’t have the same path but eventually one day,  both of them will have the same path.

FP: How does the Jordan brand and Hoops B4 Work merge? 

Coach Ruth: The Jordan brand and the Hoops B4 Work are both community based initiatives. Our aim is to grow the community and build the community. We both have similar ethoses and it is about creating opportunities for all. Whatever background you come from, gender you are, it is about how we can build a wider community from basketball. 

FP: I would originally say that basketball is more of an American game played in big stadiums but you get kids going down in cages playing, is there a big community of basketball in London?

Coach Ruth: Yeah

FP: Let’s talk a little bit about that and how you play your part in the community and how Hoops B4 Work bridges that gap between people who want to get into playing but don’t really know how to approach playing, as it can be a little bit intimidating approaching a team. Tell me a little bit about bridging that gap of understanding and getting people into the game in the city 

Coach Ruth: Basketball within London is really growing, I set up Hoops B4 Work to try and get a new target audience and to grow the game. But to also grow the community, if you are new to basketball you wouldn’t want to go to a new team. It is quite intimidating playing for or going to a session that already has players that play. What we do is try and open the doors to anybody, whether you have played before, whether you have got experience but also just to build a basketball community. To feed that into the young people that I coach. It is about creating opportunities whether you are male or female, an older adult with experience in school. I had somebody last week that joined, that had not played in over 20 years and they were nervous. I met them downstairs and as soon as you come into Hoops B4 Work everyone has to introduce my ethoses, everyone has to say hello to everybody and if you don’t you get press ups. It is about creating that open door policy.

FP: One thing more about me is the discipline, getting up when it’s cold outside, it’s dark, getting up, getting out there and getting to and it can feel hard in the moment but like you are going to feel great afterwards. So re-establishing people’s routine and discipline through the manifestation of the game.  

Coach Ruth: Hoops B4 Work is about creating behaviour change , about people’s mindset and how they would prepare for work. It is the same thing through basketball, setting your kit the night before, getting your work clothes ready the night before it is hard, 6.30 in the morning especially for those that like to sleep. I’ve got a player that sets her alarm four, five times and still asks some of the players to wake her up. But once you are there it doesn’t seem like 6.30, the environment changes, for about 10 minutes it is 6.30 in the morning but once that goes the environments are high fives, there’s laughter, there’s oh no coach no more running please. But the environment is a positive environment and it is designed to make people have the right start to their day and to create a positive attribute to their life but also teaching them a new skill, which is a life skill, basketball is not just a game it is a lifestyle skill. It is more than just a game guys. 

Nike’s newest collaboration with K-pop superstar G-Dragon and his PEACEMINUSONE, the Kwondo1 silhouette is set to release. A trainer that offers a cultural accolade to Nike’s heritage, while infused with Korean street style. What’s more, the South Korean singer and song writer’s latest design also adopts formal eloquence whilst also boasting sportswear influence in visuals and technology.

Featuring a ‘Triple White’ upper crafted from a smooth brogue leather with specs of decorative perforations and stitching on the overlays. Co-branding can be found on the tongue tab and lace tips, while the front lace shrouds are hallmarked with ‘PEACEMINUSONE’ and the label’s signature branding, also shown on the insole. Further floral daisy stitching adorns the heel for a pop of colour and intricate detail. Underfoot is minimal with a crisp white sole.

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The London in-store draw is now closed!

The ONLINE draw is live over on the Footpatrol Launches App, CLICK HERE to download!

To enter, you’re required to sign up via the above forms, these WON’T be available in-store to sign up on. 

In-store winners will be contacted via email informing them of their win. Within this email, winners will be given a set of dates in which they must collect their win from our London store. To collect, you will need to provide the winning email and a valid photographic government ID matching the winners name. NO ONE can collect on the winners behalf. Failure to provide this, or failure to collect within the given dates will mean failure to purchase your win.

To sign up to the Online draw, you will need to download the Footpatrol Launches app and complete a pre-authorisation payment of the retail price of the product plus shipping costs. This will be held until completion of the draw. Those successful will have their win posted out to the address entered during sign up. Those unsuccessful will see a return of their funds, this can take up to 5 working days from when the winners have been drawn.