“Remastered” is reframing the way we tell sneakers stories and giving new characters from the sneaker world a place to shine outside of the main characters. The industry has rapidly changed, but a lot of the stories stay the same. “Remastered” shares real stories and perspectives about the past, present, and future true to the sneaker community, verified by SoleSavy.
Jourdan Ash
Harlem born and bred, Jourdan Ash always had an affinity for sneakers, but with the rise of the internet, Instagram, and subsequently, the worldwide popularity of sneakers she recognized something was off. Not only were women largely left out of the conversation and underserved product-wise, but Black and brown women have also seemingly been erased as the industry becomes more and more gentrified.
What started as a submission during the application process while looking for a new job turned into Ash’s True To Us, a platform normalizing Black and brown women as the foundation of the sneaker and streetwear industries.
The journalist turned community organizer and model also has a podcast called Dating In NYC that’s worth binging. Get to know her through her sneaker stories below.
SoleSavy: Can you tell me about your first major pick-up and what makes it the most memorable?
Jourdan Ash: My first major pickup was the [Air Jordan] Aqua 8s that dropped when I was in high school. I remember working really hard and saving a lot of money to get them. I copped them straight off of Footlocker and they were beautiful. I had an outfit for them all laid out. I wore them to school when we had dress down day, and then I continued to wear them a few more times.
I went to high school in the Bronx. Because it’s high school and people are nasty, you have gym and then you have to go right back to class. I left my sneakers in my gym locker, and when I went back to get them that day, they were gone. That’s probably like the first memory where I’m like, I need vengeance for these sneakers.
SS: That is ugly! Coincidentally, the next question is what is your worst personal sneaker story?
JA: Outside of getting my kicks stolen? That was a first-and-last time thing. I remember when Rihanna had the collab with PUMA, I was waiting outside of another Foot Locker for them. I was super early because it was right before I had to go to work. I didn’t have to go until 10, but I’d already told them I was gonna be a little bit late. I think this was for the Creepers and the first slides, so I was trying to get both that day.
I’d been there since about 7:00 am and made friends with other people in line – this guy, his girlfriend and then there was another guy in front of us. It was just the four of us. As we get closer to opening time, I realize the guy who was in front was a line holder. He was holding the line for his boss who was a reseller, and he brought like eight to 10 people with him. He was just so rude. He was like, “I don’t care about anybody else in this line. I’m getting 20 pairs.” Blah, blah, blah. I’m like, “There’s two women behind you. There’s hella women in this line.”
We were in SoHo. So, we were across the street from Nordstrom, which also had the collection. And I’m just like, “It’s so disgusting that you think you’re going to resell Rihanna sneakers to women. Women are not going to pay resale for Rihanna sneakers.”
We argued. I got my shoes. I ended up leaving. He tried to dap me up, and I was like whatever.
I was wearing my shoes on the train platform on my block another day, and I saw him with his mama and his girlfriend. He said, “Look ma, this girl tried to argue with me when I was buying sneakers.” I really hate this guy, but apparently, he lived near me.
That’s my worst memory because I never want to argue with anybody over sneakers. I feel like if I gotta argue with you, I’m going to just leave.
SS: Is there anything you miss about the sneaker space pre-resale platform era?
JA: I really miss being able to buy things in person, all around, because I wear bigger sizes and clothing now, and they don’t carry bigger sizes and clothing in stores like Zara or Urban Outfitters. But when I want to buy sneakers, it’s the same thing.
I tried to cop the “Animal Print” 11s recently. They’re black and white with cheetah print–they’re really, really cute. I was walking to spin class, and I knew there was a Foot Locker on the way, so I went in to try to cop there.
They said, “Oh, we don’t even get exclusives like this. You have to go to SoHo.” So, not only do I have to join a line, join a raffle, this, that, and the third, I have to go to exclusive locations in order to get things.
I was already heading to SoHo after my class, so I went and there’s this long ass line. It’s just like, you know what? I’m not going to do it.
The ropes you have to go through to buy things in person now is shitty. I miss being able to be like, I’ve had a long day. I just want to walk in the store and buy something. There’s way too many times where I walk into a store and they don’t have it because they don’t carry exclusive things which makes me wonder why you’re open.
This is not to say that stores only have to carry the popular things, but they have things that just sit forever. So, where do I go If I want to buy brand new sneakers in person? And, I really don’t know.
SS: You have touched so many different parts of the industry. Is there any advice you wish you had or any advice that you would want to pass down to young people who really want to work in the industry but don’t really have any idea about it?
JA: I would say one piece of advice I would give is that if an opportunity is not for you, don’t just hold on to it. That’s something I noticed a lot like a lot of people do. There might be an opportunity that you really really want, but you might not be a good fit for it or you might not even get it, and then it just stops there.
For me, there’s always somebody that I know who might be a better fit for something. I don’t always take every opportunity I get. Sometimes I’m busy and sometimes it’s just not right, but it never stops with me. I’m never like, no, I’m not interested. Thank you. It’s always, “I’m not interested, but I know quite a few women who fit what you’re looking for.” That’s how names get in rooms. I do that because people have done that for me multiple times. it doesn’t benefit anybody if you don’t share.
SS: Last question, is there something that you want a flag that you hate? Is there something that you want to flag that you’re loving? What’s at the top of your mind in sneakers that you want to speak on?
JA: I hate how much women are constantly questioned in these spaces. I’m constantly questioned all the time by everybody. Even when people are trying to figure out what True To Us is, it’s what is this? Why does this exist? Or if something goes viral on True To Us, I get the most hate and trolls, and they’re always men.
I recently had to start coming to terms with the fact that men think women in streetwear are cool until they make it to a certain point where either the men themselves are not and they want to be or we’re there and men don’t think that we’re supposed to be.
The questions change from men to women. If I’m wearing something that somebody likes and a woman stops me on the street, she says, “Hey, where did you get those? Those are cool.” Whereas, if a man stops me on the street, he asks how I got them. How did you do that? Then it turns into “my homeboy does this, my homeboy does that” instead of women who are more likely to congratulate me for something.
I’ve always been somebody who really doesn’t like questions, which is weird because of my start in journalism, but I especially don’t like men questioning me. So, that’s something I really hate.
SoleSavy’s Women’s Community provides a safe and inclusive space for women to connect with other women who share a passion for sneakers. Learn more here.
