The YJL Sneaker collection is an intersection of luxury, fine art and fortitude. As a kid growing up on the Southside of Chicago, a ‘sneakerhead’ long before the phrase was ever coined, I was a part of a subculture that would reshape the American landscape forever. Hip-hop was in its infancy and my friends and I were both raising it, and being raised by it. The rest of the country guaranteed it would die out, but we were forging a global phenomenon. We not only created industries, we cemented our place as the world’s official trendsetter and most prominent cultural influencer.

Hip-Hop is where Black and Brown youth living in poverty were able to embrace their struggle while simultaneously aspiring to enjoy the luxuries afforded exclusively to the other side of the class spectrum. Hip-Hop was indeed a gift from God.

The sneaker was the quintessential representation of that dichotomy. Long before we dreamed of foreign cars or private jets, sneakers were both our ‘mode of transportation’ and our status symbol. But it wasn’t just having the sneaker that mattered, it was the way you ‘rocked’ em... it wasn’t about what the sneaker did for you, it was about what you did for the sneaker... it was about your personal style... that ‘je ne sais quoi’ that only YOU could add.

Today, I seek to design a line of sneakers that blends the luxurious nature of world-renowned fashion houses with the inner-city street flair that characterized rap music’s humble beginnings.

Hip-Hop and I have been around for about the same number of years. We’re raising third and fourth generations, yet we’re still kids at heart ourselves. Forever true to our roots, our growth and evolution is undeniable. Today, we’re both rugged and romantic, slick and sexy, we’re gritty and graceful. We can speak Queen’s English in iambic pentameter or use a local lingo that can only be decoded within an eight-block radius. 

Our leather goods employ exotic skins, top-grain leathers and the sleekest of hardware. Each style is distinct and every colourway is unique. YJL is where luxury meets the low end, where fine art meets fried food, where intellectualism meets ignorant bliss... 

Wherever you fall within the spectrum of cultural expression, we’re confident you’ll find a YJL sneaker or bag to articulate your position... and if you want more, you can commission something especially tailored to your personal aesthetic. 

Whatever the case, we invite you to experience YJL and enjoy artwork that reflects who YOU truly are...at heart.