Day in the Life: Akwaaba World Is Championing the Global Soundscape
The Milan-based radio show-slash-football team is next up in this exclusive series with Foot Locker.
Foot Locker’s Spring/Summer 2025 “Summer Different” campaign is in full effect. With a history rooted in the communities it serves, whether it’s the Spanish multidisciplinary creative cohort Winner’s Circle or Paris’ underground event UNDERCOVER, the retailer has partnered with a range of grassroots collectives to support their projects.
For the latest episode of the exclusive Day in the Life series with Foot Locker, we follow Milan-based Akwaaba World on a typical day of inspiration.
Akwaaba — which translates to “welcome” in Twi, a language native to Ghana — encompasses not only the team’s heritage but also its philosophy. “We welcome everyone into our collective,” photographer and member Laurent Bentil tells Hypebeast on the naming choice. A deep-rooted ethos that is personified through the diverse, growing membership, they host every week.
Starting in 2018 as an online radio show, Akwaaba World has been dedicated to spotlighting the rich musical offerings from around the world, showcasing diverse sounds that are often overlooked yet highly influential. Always digging, researching, and sourcing more material to push on their platform, the city’s vast record stores, such as All Time Tones, are where you’d likely find their members most days.
The collective soon branched out, leaning on their shared passion for football, both as Africans and Europeans, to incorporate the sport and its extensive influence on fashion into their creativity. “Football is a huge part of Akwaaba,” Bentil says. “We grew up watching the African Cup of Nations. This shaped us in different ways, from the way that we dress on and off the pitch.”
After heading to an indoor football pitch adorned in Akwaaba-exclusive adidas jerseys for a competitive 3v3 match, Bentil reflects on how this new partnership is a full-circle moment. “I’ve been turning to Foot Locker since I was ten,” he explains on how the retailer has always been the cornerstone of his community, whether it be a local hang-out spot or a place to get fresh kicks. “Now they are vibing with my guys [and] supporting our projects.”
Stay tuned on Hypebeast for more from the “Summer Different” campaign. You can also head to the Foot Locker website to explore the latest footwear styles.
