Matt Varga The “palace intrigue” of collaborators switching sides is always a hot topic. It’s part of the reason stories like Jerry Lorenzo’s “defection” to adidas or Palace reversing that course with their current Nike partnership are so attention-grabbing; it’s some of the most tangible material in an ever-rivalrous sneaker landscape.
A seismic one has just come down, adding to that history: totemic Saucony collaborator Jae Tips, genuinely someone who deserves major credit in the brand’s recent revival, is now under the Nike banner.
For those with an eye on social media, there were seeds of this already. The Bronx native’s contract with the Boston brand expired earlier this year, quickly followed by a campaign shoot for his apparel efforts that featured the designer in a pair of “Galaxy” Foamposites. Just a day or so before this official announcement came down, Tips shared a teaser that appeared to show him wearing a pair of the Vomero Premium, another hint that this was a done deal before things went public.
In this official announcement, Jae Tips teases what could be on the way: his Savior Worldwide varsity jacket appears with co-branded Swooshes, particularly effective with a balloon-laden graphic on the back, while he sports a hi-vis version of the Vomero Plus. No doubt we’ll see actual results from this collaboration sooner than later, but it’s worth taking in this landscape-shifting free agency move even on its own merits. Tips’ official comment is below.
NEW CHAPTER: THIS ONE WAS DESTINY, I DREAMED MANY NIGHTS ABOUT THIS ONE, I AM THE TESTAMENT OF 10,000 NIGHTS AND 10,000 HOURS, I AM THE RETAIL TO LEGENDARY EXAMPLE: NOT ONLY DID I PROVE THE HATERS WRONG, I PROVED MYSELF RIGHT> THIS ONE IS FOR MY CITY.
