Nike just collabed with Grace Ladoja MBE on an Air Max Plus, and according to Nike this marks the first time an African woman has designed a signature shoe for Nike.

The music executive and founder of Our Homecoming, a three-day festival in Lagos, Nigeria, has been a long-time creative partner of Nike, but it’s the first time she has actually designed a shoe, making this a full-circle moment. 

The Air Max TN comes in two colourways: “Pan African”, a black shoe with white, red and green details on the lacing and sole, and “African Sunrise” an orange and black upper with the same white, red and green laces. The shoes are saturated in cultural symbolism, carrying six detachable charms – the Nigerian Eagle, the Nigerian map in green and gold, the Homecoming x Nike “lucky coin”, a black planet, a gold map of Africa, and the cowrie shell, historically used across West Africa as currency and a symbol of value and exchange – to represent Nigeria.

Ladoja founded Our Homecoming in 2018, the Lagos festival which spans music, fashion, art, film and sport, and has, over the years, become a defining platform in the global rise of African creativity over the past decade, having built a legacy-worthy reputation for fostering a global community around Africa’s cultural landscape and its enduring evolution.

“This year feels special, everything is aligned,” Ladoja said on the drop. “Ownership, amplification, cultural exchange, that’s always been Homecoming. The Homecoming concept space in Lagos gives us a real home to build from, and the Nike collaboration takes that exchange further. I’ve worked across many of Nike’s projects, so designing my own shoe feels like a full-circle moment and reflects where I believe brands should be in design. Innovation, fun, strong references. To young creatives, keep going and trust your timing. Sometimes you’re just early.” 

The choice of a new take on an Air Max TN silhouette is deeply rooted in Ladoja’s personal history, nodding to youth culture, where sneakers reflected identity, aspiration and status, especially across African and diasporic communities. 

This Nike Air Max Plus celebrates Nigerian and African communities across the world and makes this a huge historical moment for African women.  

The Nike x Homecoming Air Max Plus drops today at nike.com.