Matt Varga Multi-hyphenate Tobe Nwigwe has, in his own words, has created his own “efficient engine” in the past several years, churning out music and film work alike with a distinct creative vision the whole way through. It was genuinely just a matter of time before he brought that streak into the fashion world, and via a new partnership with Reebok, he’s getting the chance to — rebuilding a gridiron classic as the Tobe Nwigwe x Reebok Chukwu OTU.
The sole unit of the Reebok Preseason 94, expressive and filled with abstract geometry, remains in place, creating some visual tension with the upper sitting atop it. There, Tobe Nwigwe brings a futuristic vision to Chukwu OTU, emphasizing curvilinear overlays (almost a la the Mobius line) and mixed media construction, blending hairy suede, nubuck and rich textiles. A full range of apparel comes alongside emphasizing those same streamlined, near-minimalistic aesthetics, included on a football jersey, coaches jacket, vest and zip-off pants.
While collaborations can sometimes feel hollow or opportunistic, what Reebok presents alongside Tobe Nwigwe truly feels crafted to his personal style and sensibilities. In the broadest strokes, the use of the Reebok Preseason as a base derived from Nwigwe’s belief he’d eventually crack the NFL in his childhood, pivoting mid-stream into the spiritually-tinged R&B music he’s now known for. To that point, the name of his new model, the Chukwu, alludes to an Igbo-derived word used to reference God, a concept continually hinted at in his discography. Finally, the Mint Green shades used on both the shoes and the apparel pieces at large can be seen on the cover of all of his projects (and all of his creative endeavors, really) since 2020.
The Tobe Nwigwe x Reebok Chukwu OTU releases on February 21st at 10 AM ET via Reebok.com in both the black and Mint Green colorways seen here. Retail for the silhouette is set at $200. As mentioned above, all of the apparel pieces seen in the lookbook images will also drop on that same date/time.
