Nigerian Creative Grace Ladoja Becomes First African Woman to Design a Nike Shoe

Grace Ladoja, founder of the Homecoming Festival in Lagos, has recently become the first African Woman to design a Nike shoe. Using locally inspired materials and colors, she reworked the Nike Air Max Plus, a silhouette popularised in London’s street culture. 

Set to release to the public this weekend, the shoe places Ladoja at the forefront of design for one of the world’s most influential brands. It reflects the growing global influence of African creatives across fashion, music, sport, and streetwear.

“Grace is not new to this; she’s true to this. She’s played an instrumental role in some of the most important partnerships over the past decade at Nike, particularly within Nike Sportswear,” Bliss Zhawi, communication strategist at Wieden + Kennedy,  told UrbanGeekz.

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From Music to MBE 

Born and raised in London to Nigerian parents, Ladoja started her career in the music industry. As early as 2014, Ladoja worked with Grime musician Skepta while Skepta was coming up. As his manager, she led Skepta’s Mercury Prize-winning “Konnichiwa” campaign. 

In 2017, she co-founded Metallic Inc., a global culture studio. There, she leverages her background in the music industry to represent underserved talent. A key initiative of Metallic Inc is the Metallic fund. The platform distributes grants to upcoming talent in fashion, music, and film. As of 2023, the fund has awarded over $200,000 to emerging creatives in the U.K.

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For her work, Ladoja has been widely recognized. She was awarded the Rising Star honor at the Music Week Women In Music Awards in 2017, an MBE in 2018, and the Entrepreneur Award at the 2021 Artist & Manager Awards. She has brought her expertise to some of the biggest brands, from Supreme to Fenty. 

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Our Homecoming: A Cultural Revolution 

As a London native, Ladoja never visited Nigeria when she was younger, but her mother made certain that she had a strong connection to her family there. Their Sunday ritual would be to phone her grandmother, her aunties, and their family on the continent. When Ladoja’s mother unfortunately passed away, she felt determined to visit Nigeria and experience it for herself.

From her initial experience exploring the fashion, music, art, and sports industries in Lagos, Ladoja wanted to create a platform to bring them all together. In 2018, she founded Homecoming as a space for the diaspora and locals to celebrate African ingenuity. 

“People want to come back to Nigeria, but it’s really scary. It feels so big. So we made a place that was like connecting culture, amplifying what’s here and allowing people to come and feel at home culturally,” Ladoja said in an interview with Hypebae.

The inaugural edition proved to be a massive success with the lineup featuring industry legends Tiwa Savage, Skepta, and Wizkid. The festival has grown every single year since and has expanded to include soccer matches, panel discussions, and fashion showcases. Ladoja now lives in Lagos. Homecoming also has a permanent concept space open to foster creativity and innovation on the scene. 

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Nike Collaboration

Ladoja has been a sneaker enthusiast from the beginning. As a teenager, she interned at sneaker boutique Crooked Tongues. She even saved up her allowance by walking to school for 60 days so she could buy her first pair of Nike Air Max Plus.

The collaboration truly comes as a full-circle moment for her. Having maintained a working relationship with Nike for over 10 years, naturally, she became the first African woman to design a signature shoe. 

The Homecoming x Nike Air Max Plus was released at the Homecoming festival earlier this month in two different designs. Ladoja maintained the iconic silhouette while adding her personal touch to the shoe. Rather than the traditional mesh you see on the Nike Air Max Plus, she replaced it with a textured material that mimics the African sponge. 

“There are so many amazing seamstresses and brands coming out of Lagos and the capital. Grace represents that energy and presents the richness of the craftsmanship coming out of Nigeria,” Zhawi added. “It’s no surprise that Nike has gravitated toward her, especially as the industry continues to appreciate and recognize these designers.” 

The laces are embellished with detachable charms that pay homage to the cowrie shell and Nigerian eagle, both culturally significant symbols. Finally, Ladoja made the shoe tip waterproof, proving that you don’t have to sacrifice style for functionality. 

The shoe was released in two colorways: “Pan-African,” a black shoe with green, red, and white laces, and “African Sunrise,” which features a bold orange gradient. They are set to be released for wider purchase this weekend, retailing at $190. 

African women have been at the forefront of cultural trends in music and fashion for years, and now we can finally own an iconic shoe designed by our very own.