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Jerry Lorenzo’s Fear of God Athletics looks to be back in form with the Adidas FOGA II sneaker – Andscape

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Since Fear of God founder and designer Jerry Lorenzo announced the Fear of God Athletics partnership with Adidas in 2020, loyalists of each brands have been patiently waiting to see their promise.will revolutionize the competitive basketball industry eternally” will come to life. Three years passed before the first styles with three stripes appeared. While the shoe fell short of performance expectations, many colorways sold out online or fetched mortgage-paying prices on the resale market, signaling that some of Fear of God’s core fan base outside of basketball appreciated the shoe to a point. But with Lorenzo AND Thanks to Adidas CEO Bjørn Gulden the tension and drastic changes which have occurred since the alliance began, many are waiting to see how each of them will prove.

“There’s a higher level of attributes that a performance shoe has to have,” Lorenzo said of the lesson learned from the Fear of God Athletics One, or FOG I. “There’s a lot of things in fashion that you can get away from because that’s what fashion is. For performance, you can’t turn it off because you can’t perform. So trying to translate a certain aesthetic into something that does what it’s intended to do is a very difficult thing.”

Adidas x Fear of God Athletics II Basketball Lo men’s basketball shoes.
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Fear of God

Adidas x Fear of God Athletics II Basketball Hi men’s basketball shoes.

Fear of God

After a yr and a half of difficult conversations, Lorenzo and the Adidas design team imagine they’ve hit the perfect balance between style and functionality with the latest Fear of God Athletics II basketball shoe that they missed the first time around.

“Jerry clearly comes from a much more luxurious background, focusing on silhouette, material and shape,” said Adidas senior design director Shane Ward. In collaboration with Adidas, he developed shoes for former NFL players Keyshawn Johnson and Eddie George. “We come from an athlete-centric environment focused solely on performance testing. I think a lot of it was just patience, listening and understanding on both sides, which ultimately resulted in trust.”

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Fear of God founder and designer Jerry Lorenzo wanted to mix style with performance when creating the Fear of God Athletics II basketball shoe.

Fear of God

Lorenzo’s design aesthetic was evident in the FOG I. On each the FOGA II Lo and Hi models, the shape still remained, but gone were useful features similar to the thermoplastic polyurethane film overlay, ankle bands and lace-up stoppers. Focused on the essentials, the FOG II is built around a fitted unibody sock with a breathable neoprene collar for comfort and a lacing system attached to the outer shell for security during lateral movements. The contoured midsole still features the translucent rubber that Fear of God is thought for, while the medial side is split with Lightstrike foam to provide greater flexibility and make it lighter.

The outsole features Fear of God Athletics’ latest proprietary “adaptive sole” consisting of a wavy toe pattern that concurrently provides traction and reduces weight. Like its predecessor, the upper of the II Basketball model draws inspiration from classic versions Adidas Predator football shoes. Except here, the molded cage has been replaced with lightweight microsuede, and the “three stripes” have been cut out to reveal a ventilated mesh base. In the case of the II Basketball Hi, the straps are designed based on the ankle braces worn on the court by players similar to former Adidas and NBA player Derrick Rose.

“These are feats of engineering that we had to have difficult discussions about because there may have been one ambition at the beginning, but we had to execute it in a way that the athletes believed in it,” Ward said, adding that the II Basketball Hi straps provide a more comfortable fit than traditional high-top basketball shoes. “By talking to athletes and giving Jerry key information, we were able to reach places like this that we couldn’t land before.”

“I wish the toeboxes weren’t so round,” Lorenzo said, noting that he also had to compromise on the internal cushioning support around the ankles, calling them “thick.”

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“I pushed it as far as I could. This is the shape I try to design around. When you see this silhouette from a distance, do you know it is the Fear of God? This was the hardest thing. Really put it through a performance lens and without compromise.”

II Basketball has already surpassed the first version on the court. When Fear of God Athletics One Model was released in December 2023, it made its debut in Indiana and the University of Miami. However, the shoes received a lukewarm response as many players selected not to wear them, and so they ultimately never made it to the NBA.

Los Angeles Lakers guard Gabe Vincent wears the white Fear of God Athletics Basketball II Hi colorway during their game against the Toronto Raptors on November 10 at the Crypto.Com Arena in Los Angeles.

Adam Pantozzi/NBAE via Getty Images

Toronto Raptors guard Jamal Shead (right) will face Los Angeles Lakers guard Austin Reaves (left) on November 10 at the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles.

Jevone Moore/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

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A yr later, Los Angeles Lakers guard Gabe Vincent has already worn various FOG II colours in multiple games this season. The shoes were also worn twice in the same game on November 10, when Toronto Raptors guard Jamal Shead wore them against the Lakers.

“The first night Gabe was in it, it was fun and exciting, but the most important thing for me was whether he would be in it again,” Lorenzo said. “That was the greatest gift that was given back to me because it was actually that performance that I didn’t really prove.”

From left to right: Fear of God Athletics players Ashley Sims II, Collin Paul, Cayden Daughtry, Shon Abaev and Michael Ephraim in pre-game introductions during an Overtime Elite League match on November 8 at the Overtime Elite Arena in Atlanta.

Adam Hagy/Overtime

Redemption also comes in the form of a partnership with Atlanta’s next-gen basketball league, Overtime Elite. On November 7, Adidas and Fear of God Athletics announced that Fear of God would be represented as the eighth team in the league. The partnership was introduced during a press conference and panel led by former NBA player Matt Barnes at the Overtime Elite Arena, where the players and coach Cilk McSweeney were introduced via a video montage in which they introduced their lines as the opening lines of Tupac Shakur’s “Pain.” played.

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Team Athletics will compete against other players aged 16-20 with skilled ambitions. With its own squad, Fear of God Athletics will equip players and coaches with shoes, uniforms, warm-up uniforms and other equipment for the 2024-25 season. Featuring players from Florida basketball powerhouse Calvary Christian Academy, the Fear of God team is as unlikely because it sounds. According to Lorenzo, he was already in talks to work with Overtime Elite when a mutual friend told him that McSweeney’s team would be joining him.

“When we found out that there was an opportunity to collaborate and that we were a team, I said we 100% had to make it happen,” Lorenzo said. He learned about Overtime Elite’s involvement from his teenage son, who religiously watches the games. “It was a divine thing that brought us here.”

From left to right: Fear of God Athletics players Michael Ephraim, Ashley Sims II and Shon Abaev in their pre-game introductions during an Overtime Elite League match on November 8 at the Overtime Elite Arena in Atlanta.

Adam Hagy/Overtime

“These days (people) talk more about high school and college basketball than they do about college or the NBA,” said former NBA player Damien Wilkins, head of basketball at Overtime Elite. His responsibilities include increasing visibility by connecting the league and its players with brands. Last season, Overtime Elite had the same arrangement with Rolling Loud hip-hop festival brand.

“Linking up with (Fear of God) gives us more exposure to our league and for them it’s a common thing… All our guys wear this stuff anyway, so it made sense.”

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Team Athletics’ debut at the OTE Arena on November 8 against consecutive champions City Reapers felt like an official introduction. As players and coaches emerged from the locker room and formed their warm-up positions, the eyes of opposing fans and players alike widened with curiosity and envy as the team took the court wearing latest II Basketball sneakers and matching uniforms.

“You guys look tough,” a child sitting next to the bench was heard saying.

Thanks to Fear of God’s well-known design language, the band immediately stands out from other Overtime Elite bands that either have more colourful decorations or no fashion accents in any respect, something Fear of God has already noticed on social media.

Fortunately, Team Athletics plays in addition to it looks. As seniors, they defeated the Reapers 97-90 4-star recruit Shon Abaevwho enrolled at the University of Cincinnati on November 28, scored 37 points. And as for the shoe? The same kid who complimented the team before the game began stood in the same spot after the game and asked the players if he could take their shoes. He left empty-handed.

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“They did the best they could with the shoe, it feels great,” said Abaev, who swapped out the textured laces for his own turquoise ones. “It may look heavy, but it’s not. You can move around in it. I’m a setter and I cut out a lot. It holds up really well. I was surprised.”

With basketball shoes, especially Adidas models like Minnesota Timberwolves’ Anthony Edwards signature shoes, becoming popular off the court again, the FOGA II has the potential to develop into a shoe that Lorenzo described as “something you may exit with and (rating) 50 points.” come in and likewise exit on the weekend with.”

“I really wanted to create something that would make me feel like I opened a pair of Jordans in ’91, ’92,” Lorenzo said. Before joining Adidas, he created Fear of God basketball shoes with rival brand Nike in 2018. “I really felt like footwear had to come back to that at some point.”

“The obsession with design was much greater back then,” Ward said, mentioning names similar to design legends Tinker Hatfield, Steve Smith and his longtime mentor, Peter Moore. In recent years, he said, many brands and designers have begun to focus unequally on technology and performance. “After a while, you start to forget about what is happening outside the court and in the culture.”

But don’t be fooled. Lorenzo still wants it to be known that basketball is to be played in the second league.

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“I created enough shoes for people to wear all over the world. I can do it with my eyes closed,” he said. “But I really wanted to create something that did what it was intended to do, which was let you be part of the fun.”

He paused, “This is (God’s) (remove quote) third quote, basketball shoe, but I’d really like to call it our first.”

Maurice Garland is a marathon-running, yoga-practicing author who has had the same phone number and hairdresser since 2003. He has written powerful stories for legendary publications from Billboard to Black Enterprise. In addition to being a protracted-time mentor at the youth media organization VOX ATL, he has appeared on VH1, spoken at Spelman and Princeton, co-authored The Art Behind the Tape, and edited the autobiography Pimp C and the memoirs of J. Prince.

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This article was originally published on : andscape.com
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Pinterest debuts the “adapted” tribute to the black fashion

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Pinterest, ‘Tailored’, Black Fashion, Black History Money


On the occasion of the Black History month, Pinterest began a visible campaign that honors history, the current influence and the way forward for black fashion.

February 3, Social Platform based on a pinboard exposed The “adapted” campaign. The initiative cooperating with Blackboard, his group of resources for black employees and allies, emphasizes how black fashion shapes heritage and invites everyone to start their very own journey to Pinterest.

The campaign accommodates short ads that show how black style is each generational and transformational, and at the same time emphasizes Pinterest as a key platform for improving personal taste and galvanizing inspiration from creation around the world.

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“It gives me a lot of joy that Pinterest is a place where so many come to tell his own story – and feels taken into account and celebrated with who they are,” said the Director of Pinterest content and Blackboard Malik Ducard executive sponsor.

“This includes many people who adapt the way of defining and present their personal history through black fashion on our platform – attracting the heritage of the past to shape inspiration for the future. This black month of history, I am very proud that Pinterest raises the beautiful, powerful role of black fashion in the past, present and future of our society through a tailored campaign. “

Tailored has spots that honor Black Dandy, akin to fashion editor and stylist Ronald Burton III, who derive their well -matched story to imagine a chic take a look at the creator of the content from Brooklyn and the storyteller Joekenneth Museau. The 60-second place emphasizes how the black style is each generational and transformation, and the role of Pinterest in motion as a very important archive of its influence and resources for his innovation.

As a part of this campaign, Pinterest will present black artists and characters, emphasizing the unique ways during which they pour their personal style into the costumes. In addition, the Pinterest store will contain influential brands, offering users the opportunity to discover and buy them this month. As the black history progresses 2025, Pinterest users are encouraged to discover adapted ideas and inspiration in the application.

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(Tagstranslate) Black month of history

This article was originally published on : www.blackenterprise.com
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Tiffany Pollard performs in the Mac’s Nude Lipstick – Essence campaign

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Exclusive: Tiffany Pollard appears in the Mac's Nude Lipstick campaign

Thanks to the kindness of Mac Cosmetics

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Mac loves New York. And not only the location of their headquarters – and the house for the annual Viva Glam Billiard Dollar ball – also has been based since 1996. We are also talking about Tiffany “New York” Pollard. Television personality and “HBIC” are actually the face of the latest Nudes Mac campaign.

Like 28 latest ones Naked shadesIn their campaign “I ONDER Wear Mac” New York only wears a set Kissliquid jancolour powder In chestnut lined with grayaw Stone. “When you are naked, you can’t hide,” says New York solely.

Tiffany Pollard performs in the Mac's Nude Lipstick campaign

So legendary acts – on icons reminiscent of Naomi Campbell and Mary J. Blige – a deckchair hidden in the archives returned on the shelf. In July, the brand again launched eight ceased shades of lipstick from the 90s. PotThe The most desired shade is stopped all time and cult Spice lips pencil– for his or her limited edition Bringbacks collection In honor of their fortieth anniversary.

Now neutral cohort, from Folio Down YashIN Hodgepodge Down PaspownYou can construct up or down, while giving a bodily look. “Most people think that I wear too much makeup, but I don’t care,” says New York, preferring the “super heavy” layers of contour, distinction, concealer and eyelashes. “Every makeup that I had the pleasure to work with since the days kept the arsenal full of maps around the set, so that I could always submit a request for every second.”

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Often seen in two to 3 shades of lipstick at the same time, then he says that “Oyster Girl could not live without”, a freshwater pink shade. In addition, she reached for a light-weight beige rose, Honey, honeyand Velvet Teddy, which appears in the NUDES collection, but as a chilly Nice teddy bears. “I feel that” acts “bring out the best of everyone because they strengthen the natural contours of the mouth.”

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This article was originally published on : www.essence.com
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Charlamagne Tha God blames Kendrick Lamara’s success for the outrageous Kanye West online crash

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After a brief break from X, Kanye West returned this week with a series of controversial and disturbing tweets. Many of his posts concerned topics from Kamala Harris, his friendship with Donald Trump and Elon Musk, having “CONTROL” over his wife, and recently protesting that Sean “Diddy” Combs can be released from prison.

In the light of his last positions at X, Charlamagne Tha God, co-host of “The Breakfast Club”, believes that he knows the reason for the last spectacle of Kanye-Chęcie notes, and more precisely the desire to direct the attention of Kendrick Lamar. Charlamagne developed his perspective on February 7 during a discussion together with his co -hosting popular radio program.

Charlamagne calls Kanye for the latest antics and what the radio host claims is jealous of Kendrick Lamara’s success. (Photos: @cthagod/instagram, Joseph Okpako/Wireimage, Bellocqimages/Bauer-Griffin/Gc Pictures)

Charlamagne began the conversation, coping with sudden support of Ye for Combs “after publishing messages such as” Free Puff “with others. Combs is currently in prison waiting for the trial.

He said, “You know, if he wants to go to Diddy, nothing bad about it, it is on him. But we realize that Kanye was acting all week because he envied Kendrick’s moment, right? “

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Jess Chailive, co -host of “The Breakfast Club”, mentioned the recent YE claims that he was diagnosed with autism and that he was not likely bipolar. However, Charlamagne rejected these claims.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TM55AO2R-GA

“It’s just a pursuit of attention,” said Charlamagne. “He does it because he is jealous of Kendrick’s moment. He regrets that he was because Kendrick has a moment to be a fertile artist who took out his number one OPP, Drake. Kanye regrets that it was at the moment, so he did all these antics to pay attention throughout the week, because he tries to encourage people to do exactly what they are doing now, and he says about him. But Kanye, this is a side to what Kendrick did on Sunday at Grammys and what Kendrick will do this Sunday at Super Bowl. “

Continuing the conversation, Jess Plavious turned to the shocking appearance of Grammys Kanye and Bianka. On the red carpet of censorship they appeared on the headlines after she took off the jacket and shook the “invisible” mini-not dressed, exposing her body to paparazzi.

In response, Charlamagne relied on the historical five victories of Grammy Kendrick Lamar.

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“All these fools are cheap, meanwhile you reward people on this scene for their art like it used to be, Kanye,” said Charlamagne. “Kendrick Lamar was awarded five times for the DISS record for your first OPP, you would like you to be you. … we don’t care, Kanye. I don’t care that you are a billionaire, there are plenty of banal bandits. ”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=szqm7v1muwc

Charlamagne will be on the right track because in February 2 interview In “The Download” with Justin Laboy Kanye had a rather disenchanted response to rapper Compton Kendrick Lamar, beating her common Nemesis, a rapper from Toronto Drake last yr.

He said, “I thought with Kendrick,” Man, why you – did you kill my Nemesis? Where are the movies, if it is not Drake? At least he took him off a bit. ”

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Laboy asked you if he thinks Kendrick had finished Drake. He replied: “Yes, for now. You can never count Stepha Curry. This man can get 200 points in one song. “

You and Drake had beef again for a few years. It began to brew around 2018, when the artist Ye Push T won the battle with Drake, revealing that he had a secret son named Adonis. In subsequent years, Ye we and Drake swells over musical differences and loyalty problems.

As for the Charlamagne theory, fans had opinions about whether or not they agreed.

One he said“I actually agree. Entering the manic episode because the ego kills him. “

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Someone who disagreed he said“It has nothing to do with Kendrick, you are simply crazy.”

The third that remained neutral wrote“It’s S – T is really sad that I see Lmao.”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2–0ellfr5m


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This article was originally published on : atlantablackstar.com
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