Aleali May and Jordan Brand Officially Announce “Califia” Collection
Including May’s new take on the Air Jordan 1 High Zoom CMFT and her first apparel collection with the Jumpman.
Aleali May and Jordan Brand have officially announced their latest collaborative project: a collection of footwear and apparel dubbed “Califia.” Named after the fictional queen from fifteenth-century epic Las sergas de Esplandián, the collection is centered around May’s take on the Air Jordan 1 High Zoom CMFT and also includes her first apparel collection with Jordan Brand.
Besides its regal naming inspiration, the collection draws from the spirit and swagger of high school drill teams and uses a green, blue and white color palette with plenty of varsity-style chenille details. The modified CMFT — May’s fourth Air Jordan collaboration after Air Jordan 1s in 2017 and 2018 plus an Air Jordan 6 in 2019 — features a high-cut, ultra-thin collar, special satin Swooshes and unique branding on the collar flaps and throat alike. Apparel consists of a varsity jacket, warm-up pants, a hybrid cropped tee layered under a mesh pinnie jersey, basketball shorts and a T-shirt with a familiar image of Michael Jordan himself on the front.
To accompany the collection, May also spoke with Shanora Holloway, her former high school drill coach — a conversation that can be seen in the video below, which also gives a better look at some of the collection’s pieces. Expect the Aleali May x Jordan Brand “Califia” collection to release on Nike SNKRS come April 22, and head over to the Air.Jordan blog to see the transcription of May’s full conversation with Holloway.
Elsewhere in the world of footwear, check the latest installment of HYPEBEAST‘s weekly Sole Mates series: Joe La Puma discussing the Air Jordan 4.
