Corporate, Cincinnati's go-to boutique for apparel and footwear, is celebrating their 15th anniversary this year by teaming up with Jordan Brand for special collaboration that represents the the perseverance, tenacity and greatness of both Corporate and the city of Cincinnati on the Corporate x Jordan Air Ship PE SP "Light Menta".
With this project, releasing on 9/15, Corporate founder Matt Tomamichel set out to tell the story of Corporate, his rise from grinding at a Foot Action in Minneapolis to owning three locations (Cincy, Indianapolis, and now Dayton) of a midwest sneaker institution.
"This sneaker is an overall testament to one’s journey to greatness, with the end goal being the best version of one’s self," he explained. "The use of rich materials & subtle hints remind the wearer where they are from & where they are going. The teal colorway represents a higher level of excellence, morals, and renewal."
That teal color is Light Menta, an eye-catching mint green hue that covers the entirety of the premium suede and leather upper. To Tomamichel, the color represents royalty, a quality he believes is already synonymous with Cincinnati.
“Cincinnati is called the Queen City, and when I think of the Queen City, I think of royalty. On the paper [inside the shoebox], we paid tribute to the Fountain Square [in downtown Cincinnati], and it has a statue. The colors at night are the teal color,” Tomamichel said. “This color, it represents Cincinnati and the direction that I’m trying to take the city. In early 2000s, it was always black and red. If we’re doing a rebrand of Cincinnati, what better color than this? This color feels like we’ve graduated, like we’re elevating our community.”
In addition to the regal color and suede and leather construction, the shoe features even more luxurious details. Tomamichel gave the shoe “double-Swoosh” treatment, adding a white patent leather swoosh underneath the teal suede version on the sides, done to offer a bit of shine. The look also includes several nods to both the city and the history of Corporate, like “For the City” stitched into the collar in Tomamichel's handwriting as a nod to his journey from Cincinnati to Minneapolis, and a reminder that wherever you go, you represent not only yourself but also your city.
The words “Got ‘Em” appear on the heel, a phrase that has been Corporate's de facto catchphrase since its debut in 2008. It stems from Matt's visits to the local Foot Locker where he would overhear employees responding to requests for limited edition shoes with, "We ain't got 'em, Corporate got 'em." Special messages also grace the inside of the tongues, with "Love You Larry" in tribute to Matt's late father on one shoe, and "We Did It Aub" shouting out his homie Aubrey who pushed him to start his own shop.
The Corporate x Jordan Air Ship PE SP "Light Menta" will be available on Friday, September 15th @ 10:00am in-store. Any remaining pairs will be posted on our website at noon, pending availability.
