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D’Wayne Edwards holding the Air Jordan XX2
Matt: You worked on a couple of the Air Jordans, namely the Air Jordan 21 and 22, but you are also passing along the responsibility of designing the Air Jordan as well. Do you feel the same way about handing off this project?
D’Wayne: I have achieved a lot in my career. I am very happy and comfortable with all of the accomplishments and accolades that I have achieved and received. For me, being able to pass on the design of the Air Jordan is huge, especially since I was only the sixth lead designer ever to work on the Air Jordan. And now Jason Mayden being the seventh, as well as Jason being from Chicago, that’s a huge thing for him personally. Just like Justin, Jason is a very talented designer and has a huge future in this industry and is no a rookie to the game. He’s done Derek Jeter’s shoes, he is still doing Chris Paul’s shoes, and has also done countless Team Jordan shoes. It wasn’t a big stretch, but more of a natural hand off. Even throughout the Air Jordan 21 and 22, we worked side by side. He developed the traction patterns for both of those shoes. I was just as happy to see him get to take on a project like the Air Jordan as it was for me to give it up. Its a big challenge and luckily he has no hair, like me, so there’s nothing to lose [laughs]. You have the pressure of designing a shoe for Michael Jordan, you have the pressure of being a part of that heritage of previous people and previous models, and lastly you have the pressure of not wanting to be ‘that guy’ who messes it up. But Jason has already done a phenomenal job so I think he will continue on the legacy like everyone else has.
Matt: So you’re handing off the Melo line to Justin and the Air Jordan line to Jason, are you announcing your retirement?
D’Wayne: [laughs] No, no, no. I’m not retiring. I was just doing an awful lot. For a short period of time I was doing the Melo shoe, the Air Jordan shoe, managing five designers and directing the line. So I was doing a lot. It was just time to relinquish some of those things so I can focus in on being a better manager and focus in on being a better design director. That’s what it really boiled down to. I have already accomplished a lot from a design perspective, and now its time for me to focus more on being a better manager and director.
Matt: What was it like being responsible for designing the two of the most important shoes for Jordan Brand concurrently? Any sleepless nights?
D’Wayne: I can’t even describe it. I wouldn’t say that I had any sleepless nights, but a lot of very long days, seven days a week. You know, you just have to get it done. There’s no other option, you have to get it done. Trying to get it done to the best of my ability and on time was tough. Luckily though I wasn’t all by myself either. I have a great team of people, so I never felt alone in the process. Whether it was Jason, Justin, product marketing team, development team, all the pressure wasn’t completely on me, but ultimately if the shoe didn’t do well it was my fault. They never blame the developer if the shoe doesn’t look right, or they never blame the product marketing person if the shoe doesn’t look right. And I’m fine with that, but that’s the challenge that I think all people need to rise up to if your name is on the line. Then you have to rise to the occasion and see what you can do with it. It was cool, it was good to have a strong team and Jordan Brand has a very strong marketing, product development, and design team.
Matt: So much like the importance of having a strong team to represent Jordan Brand on court, the same goes for the team in Beaverton.
D’Wayne: Definitely. Those same standards that Michael Jordan expects from the athletes that are the face of the brand are the same standards that every employee has at Jordan Brand. I can probably say that a majority of the employees that work at Jordan would probably do it for free. Obviously, we get paid, which is a good thing, but we’re not there to collect a check. I think to some degree each one of us has some personal connection back to MJ and I think that shows in the labor of love we put into the product. As well as just as how we execute from start to finish. I think that every employee there has that same standard of wanting to perform at a high level.
