TEAM JORDAN
Roster: Elizabeth Steenwyk, Maher Jemili, Guy Perez and Tuan Nguyen (CMF)
First, an intro. I realized last night Team Jordan is still a bit of a mystery to you all.This is who we are:
Beth Steenwyk: I’m from the Mitten State (Michigan, for those who have never had a Michigander hold up their hand to show you where they’re from). Cross-country keeps me busy in the fall, skiing when snow starts falling and I love to explore whatever I can, whenever I can, regardless of season. My concept for Jordan training is focused on 180 running (running backwards). The benefits of moving in a non-forward direction include strengthening imbalanced muscle groups and lessening impact on joints (There’s a lot more, check it out and try it sometime!) making it ideal for athletes who may be recovering from an injury…or athletes who want to avoid injury in the future!
Tuan Nguyen: What’s up world? My name is Tuan Nguyen and I am the CMF designer for the Jordan team. I first learned of the CMF position when I connected with Suzette and the MLAB. My love for telling stories with color and materials has made me a more holistic designer and this class has helped me understand their use on a deeper level. Returning to Art Center College of Design, I will have a fresh outlook for my own design process and I also plan to bring back the collaborative attitude of our Jordan Team. We are kind of a big deal…just saying.
Maher Jemili: I’m 29 years old and from Tunisia. I never went to school for design but my passion for designing shoes has helped me overcome this. I have drawn Nike and Jordan shoes for the past fifteen years. Now that I get to design my own, my concept is a shoe for North Africa and Mediterranean countries. The consumer for this concept is my little sister, Hanna, who trains on mountains. The shoe will have to be fit to use in Mediterranean country, a mild climate with a lot of rugged topography.
Guy Perez: I came from a small town in Israel called Kiryat Tivon. I fell in love with footwear design when I was in elementary school, drawing shoes in class. Growing up in the ’90s, watching Michael Jordan play in the AJ 11 and 12 really started it all for me. As I grew up, I explored footwear design more and more. After I finished my military service, I decided to follow my passion. I studied design and shoe-making at “The Guild” in Tel Aviv. I participated in the first Pensole program at the University of Oregon in 2010 and in 2013 as part of The Future of Footwear class. Eventually, I want to lead the footwear design industry by sharing my creativity and vision. To inspire people by doing what you love is the greatest meaning of life. Currently, I’m designing a resistance training shoe, inspired by training methods of a Special Forces unit in the Israel Defense Forces. Overcoming this resistance in training reflects everything the Jordan Brand stands for.
Hope that gave you a little taste of what we’re thinking about. Also, check out this materials lesson we got from Suzette today!
Dacie Doucette, from MatMarket, came in today to show us the endless possibilities of ariaprene, a sustainable alternative to neoprene. Another awesome woven made of glass fibers. Not necessarily practical for footwear, but inspiring to see how far you can push materials.
