#BWHM: Nike Taps Grace Ladoja For ‘Homecoming’ Air Max Collab — Making Her The First African Woman To Design A Signature Sneaker
Trailblazing Nigerian creative Grace Ladoja breaks new ground as the first African woman to design an Air Max sneaker for Nike. The post #BWHM: Nike Taps Grace Ladoja For ‘Homecoming’ Air Max Collab — Making Her The First African Woman To Design A Signature Sneaker appeared first on MadameNoire.
Black News 
Congratulations are in order for creative visionary and Homecoming Festival founder Grace Ladoja. Nike has teamed up with the multi-hyphenate to design a signature sneaker called the Homecoming X Nike Airmax plus, celebrating her groundbreaking festival, Homecoming, a five-day cultural exchange in Lagos that unites music, fashion, art, and sport. With this collaboration, Ladoja becomes the first African woman to design a shoe with the global sneaker brand.
Since launching the platform in 2017, she has built a space where African and international creatives meet, collaborate, and drive culture forward. The festival’s ninth edition took place in Lagos from April 2 to April 7.
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Grace Ladoja pulled inspiration from her “two homes,” Lagos and London, to create the Homecoming x Nike Air Max Plus.
To mark the occasion, Ladoja introduced the Homecoming x Nike Air Max Plus. Inspired by her West African roots, the sneaker arrives in two distinct colorways: a black version referencing the Pan-African flag and a vibrant orange option dubbed “African Sunrise,” according to WWD.
Beyond its symbolic palette, the design is rich with personal and cultural details. Replacing the model’s standard mesh is a tighter, custom weave inspired by African bathing sponges, an everyday essential in many Nigerian homes. The toe box features a dipped finish, nodding to West Africa’s long-standing indigo dyeing traditions.
The post #BWHM: Nike Taps Grace Ladoja For ‘Homecoming’ Air Max Collab — Making Her The First African Woman To Design A Signature Sneaker appeared first on MadameNoire.
