Artist and musician Alyssa “Chi” Loyzaga Gibbs designed the upcoming Titan x Air Jordan 2. Scroll on for an in-depth look at her take on the Air Jordan 2 – a loving ode to her grandfather.

Titan

Model: Titan x Air Jordan 2
Price: S$309
Drop date: October 22
Buy here: Nike SNKRS | End Launches | StockX 

Titan

Chi Loyzaga Gibbs and Titan are set to drop a ’50s-inspired Air Jordan 2 on October 22 that commemorates the history of basketball in the Philippines. The vibrant sneaker is an ode to Chi’s grandfather and national basketball hero, Caloy Loyzaga – an icon who brought home the FIBA World Champion Bronze medal for the Philippines national team. This is an achievement that sits alongside the country’s countless gold medals from Asian Games and Asian Basketball Confederation Championships. “Titan approached me more than a year ago and told me they wanted me to work with them as a design collaborator for a secret project that was meant to honor my grandfather. I was in right away!,” Chi told Straatosphere. 

Titan and Jordan brand were aligned with Chi’s vision for the Air Jordan 2. “My grandfather’s team and the 50’s in general really inspired every detail of the AJ2s from the fabric choices, colors to the graphic in the shoe. For the graphic of the sock liner I recreated images of my grandfather and included his jersey number,” Chi explained. “Both titan and Jordan really trusted me and my vision for it from the get-go.” 

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The Titan AJ2 uses a wide array of materials that lends much retro flair. The use of corduroy is reminiscent of the modern-classic Sean Wotherspoon Air Max 1/97 while suede has been reemerging on countless retro sneakers. But for Chi, it’s an ode to the ‘50s. “We chose suede and corduroy because they were materials of that era. And I personally like the retro flavor it adds to the pair,” she said. 

At the heart of Chi’s design is her grandfather’s legacy and she hopes it would be a symbol of hope for the next generation of basketball players. “Just to be able to share a bit of Philippine basketball history is enough for me. What I hope is that it opens doors and inspires other young Asian female designers to dream big!” 

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All images: Instagram/ @titan_22