Welcome to #MFTW Sneaker Feature segment, where we introduce you to women who collect sneakers, work in the footwear industry, and/or impact the sneaker culture. This week, we introduce you to a woman who is dominating the scene, by saving lives while wearing fly kicks.
DeeDee: What’s your name, where you from, and what made you start collecting sneakers?
My name is Ayisha Jones, I am a proud native of Cincinnati, Ohio. Being an athlete had a lot to do with me admiring different sneakers. I always wanted to have the flyest kicks, on and off of the basketball court. Playing high school and college basketball, I started to see my sneaker collection grow more and more. Once I was able to afford to buy my own kicks, my collection really flourished!
DeeDee: What was the first sneaker you purchased?
The first sneaker that I remember purchasing was a pair of all-white K-Swiss Classics. I was so in love with a fresh pair of all-white classics.
DeeDee: What was the earliest you remember about collecting sneakers?
I remember getting ready for the first day of school (5th grade), my mom bought me the Nike Air Diamond Turf (Deion Sanders signature line). From what I can remember, this is when my love for sneakers began.
DeeDee: What’s your favorite sneaker in your collection?
Right now, my favorite sneaker in my collection is the Jordan Retro 3 A Ma Maniere.
DeeDee: What sneaker is missing from your collection?
I am still searching for several sneakers that I missed out on, including but not limited to, the Jordan 1 High Aleali May ‘Shadow’, Jordan 1 Retro Satin Royal, the Sean Wotherspoon Air Max 97, and the Chicago Off White 1’s.
Dee Dee: Any sneaker stories you wanna share?
Back in 2018, for the release of the Jordan 1 ‘Off White University Blue’, I put in raffles in a lot of different cities in order to increase my chances of winning. I ended up winning at Kith SOHO and Footaction Chicago State Ave. I started looking for ways to make this happen immediately! On release day, I flew from Cincinnati to NYC on the earliest flight, caught an UBER to Kith SOHO to pick up the first pair. Hopped back in a UBER, went back to the airport to fly from NYC to Chicago, and picked up my pair from Footaction. Then, my flight got canceled from Chicago back to Cincinnati, so I had to think fast, because I had to work the next morning. I ended up jumping on a MEGABUS and got back home that evening. It was a 16-hour total trip! The trip was definitely worth doubling up!
DeeDee: Which sneaker in the future are you looking forward to cop?
I’m actually looking to reach back and grab a few grails that I missed out on in the past.
DeeDee: Which brand in your opinion is killing it?
It seems to me that New Balance has completely taken over! A lot of people are raving about the comfortability and style combined.
DeeDee: Which women exclusive released was your favorite?
There are so many women’s releases that are amazing. If I had to pick one in particular, it would be the A Ma Maniere 3, because of the storyline and how much it meant to me personally. I believe James Whitner really used his platform and personal experiences to shine a light on being ‘raised by women’. I was blessed with a personal pair by Mr. Whitner himself, which made this release even more special to me.
DeeDee: If you had the chance to address these footwear brands what would you want them to know?
If I had the chance to address any footwear brand, I’d love to tell them that Cincinnati exists and our love for the culture is strong! I feel that we often are overlooked because we are not as large of a market as LA, Chicago, ATL, etc. Being that I am a host, I’d love to see activations and opportunities to expand our market in my city! I am also a firefighter, so I live the reality of being in a male-dominated field; however, that doesn’t stop me!
