The Head band
Wrapped around the top of the upper over the tongue; inspired by traditional garb worn by the Xhosa people as an accessory.
The Xhosa Pattern – Umbaco
The lines on the front of the sneaker are a simplified/deconstructed Xhosa Tribal Pattern.
The Shield Markings
The blanket like flap is inspired by the blanket wrapped around the arm as a shield in the Xhosa traditional stick fighting. The blanket like flap and the lines both also symbolise a shield (like that of the Zulu tribe) of protection that these comrades were during the struggle not only to Nelson Mandela but to South Africa at large.
The Blanket
Markings on the side of the sneaker are inspired by his comrades that were arrested with Nelson Mandela in the Rivonia Trial in 1963. These lines pay homage to those comrades and many others celebrated and not, who fought for South Africa’s freedom.
The Prison Markings
Twenty-seven markings on the back of the outsole represent the 27 years that Nelson Mandela spent in prison, paying homage to him.
The Jail Cell
The bottom of the outsole has a jail cell inspired traction, symbolising both Mandela’s and the Rivonia trialists’ imprisonment and the unsung heroes of the struggle. It also symbolises the effect that apartheid has had on our mentality as a people. As you walk the jail cell will be imprinted on the soil indicating that we are walking on the footsteps of those who came before us, those who fought for us to have the door cracked open.
The more the sneaker is worn and walked in the jail cell traction will fade, symbolising the braking free of our imprisoned minds into a liberated mind that does not let society and circumstances define who we are, also symbolising us crafting our own path on our own terms.
