Matcha green gives this sneaker a lot of fresh air and a very comfortable feeling.
Got tea? None other than Matcha tea is the inspiration behind this Air Jordan 1 High bespoke custom. The Air Jordan 1 Retro High Matcha is an ultra-limited release of the timeless retro silhouette that is constricted out of luxurious leathers and premium details. The creation is a passion project combining artist/photographer Ryustyler’s vision of a “Matcha” concept shoe with the incomparable skills and expertise of leading bespoke sneaker customizer Chase Shiel. What you end up getting is a symphony of color and texture, with four subtle shades of green symbolizing the different tastes and textures of Japanese matcha.
Matcha is a tea grown only in Japan and used in powdered form. The preparation of matcha, from stone-grinding the finest grade leaves to make the tea powder, to the intricate and ancient practice of the traditional tea ceremony, is an exercise in craftsmanship and artistry. The concept of this shoe was inspired by the beauty and elegance of the Japanese tea ceremony, which elevates the simple act of drinking tea into an art by focusing on the perfection of each detail. Translating this attitude into sneaker reality meant elevating a classic silhouette by sourcing premium materials like Japanese nubuck and handcrafting each pair with a number of luxe details.
The body of the shoe is made from four premium leathers in different shades, including nubuck and pigsuede leathers that were custom dyed in Japan to create the specific shade of matcha green. An all-leather interior lining and sock liner offers luxurious comfort, and the gum sole creates a contrast that is meant to evoke the natural shades of bamboo wood used to create tea ceremony tools. No detail is overlooked, from Italian-woven cotton heel tabs to a Fragment-inspired Matcha embossing stamp at the heel.
Cream laces featuring gold aglets and custom engraved dubraes by @lacespace which read “Matcha” in English and kanji and also laser engraved tongue tags done by @Burkeworksau. Included with each pair is and authentic bamboo tea whisk and an embroidered vegan suede dust bag. 
