Angelo Baque was born in Queens, New York, and is the son of two Ecuadorian immigrants. Baque is a graduate of the NYC School of Visual Arts.
Baque quickly engrained himself into the streetwear culture of New York City, working at places like Detail Magazine and Stussy. In 2006, Baque joined Supreme as Brand Director. In his time at Supreme, he not only refreshed the brands’ approach to streetwear but also helped connect the proverbial dots in streetwear.
Baque eventually departed Supreme to focus his energy on other projects- including what we now know as AWAKE NY. AWAKE’s focus is to capture the essence and spirit of New York City. Through the brand, Baque has created a very fruitful partnership with ASICS- even going as far as creating his own Angelo Baque branded ASIC sneaker.
AWAKE NY’s thoughtful collaborations have helped to establish the brand as one of the most exciting streetwear brands in the industry. After teasing it last year, AWAKE NY and Jordan Brand officially announced their partnership last month. Their first capsule will include the Airship and accompanying apparel. Baque has spent the past week covering the inspirations behind this heartfelt collaboration on Instagram.
At its core- this collaboration is a celebration. A celebration of Brooklyn, which, to the surprise of Baque, is Michael Jordan’s birthplace. It is a celebration of street culture as the shoe references many things that are quintessential to NYC. Baque notes how the similarity between the Airship and Air Force One toe box- and how that influenced his decision to include the snake pattern on the collar, as well as the gum bottom. The silver hits on the double swoosh are, not only a nod to his past collaborations with ASICS, but a way to pay tribute to the Air Max 97 Silver Bullets and the Jumpman hang-tag that often came with Air Jordan One retros. It is a celebration to the like of finally getting that one grail sneaker- in Baque’s case, it was the 2001 Royal Air Jordan 1. It’s a celebration of overcoming adversities and, in many instances, the struggles of minorities in this country.
The AWAKE NY JORDAN AIR SHIPS release on March 9th 2024 via Awakenyclothing.com. The early access raffle is open now
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