Jae Tips

I’m doing great, happy to connect with you. I just arrived in Paris to debut my next collection with Saucony and host a small event at their Sync Space. It’s really about testing the market and bringing the community together.

Fashion is in a great place right now, and Paris Fashion Week has become the Super Bowl of the industry. Every major brand is here, and the energy is so powerful and polarising — it feels like every media outlet and content creator has to be on the ground, capturing and posting everything in real time because there’s just so much happening all at once.

Actually, no. I think the industry is headed toward a reset. Eventually, people will start looking beyond collaborations and focus more on what a brand truly stands for: its story, its values, and its original vision. Right now, everything feels like a collaboration, and while I do collaborate myself, the space feels oversaturated. There’s a growing need for authenticity and substance outside of that model.

I remember it like it was yesterday: we were creating a lot of buzz in the headwear space. I was doing activations and pop-ups across the country, right in the middle of the pandemic. I was getting exhausted, but also hungry to see myself grow beyond that lane. So when Saucony reached out, I assumed they just wanted to collaborate on hats like everyone else.
At the time, we had just wrapped partnerships with Urban Outfitters and Snipes (both major fashion platforms) but still, most people only saw me for hats. Fast forward, and now we’ve worked on sixteen sneakers, had major releases, and helped elevate Saucony’s presence globally over the past three years. It’s been incredible to witness, and I’m proud to be part of that journey.

Whenever you come across a new brand, designer, or collaborator, there’s always that moment of curiosity that pulls you in. You start exploring their story, aesthetic, and identity, and you begin to understand the person behind the work. Before my partnership with Saucony, I was largely under the radar in the mainstream fashion world. I had spent years consulting, putting in the work behind the scenes, and waiting for the right opportunity. So when we launched the Remember Who Fronted collection, it felt like a reflection of my entire journey: the grind, the growth, and everything it took to finally get here.

The core value that carries through every collection is intention. I’ve always understood that to truly earn people’s attention (and their support) you have to offer something different, something meaningful. Through my work with Saucony, I’ve consistently tried to show that there’s purpose behind everything we create.

For me, the work usually begins with a visit. I’ll ask Jason or the team for a CAD file, then start designing over it. I think about my team, my story, and the message I’m trying to convey. I consider what makes this design worth purchasing: how it stands out in the market or solves a problem compared to the in-line versions. That’s the foundation.
From there, we move into the actual design phase. It’s typically a tight-knit group –Jason, Alyssa, Kathy, and Dion– sitting in a room with the designs up on a screen. I walk them through my vision, from Pantones to materials, and they help refine everything. Together, we find the best way to bring the story to life in a more thoughtful and elevated way.

As a collaborator celebrating my fifth release with Saucony, the Jazz 9, I wanted to tell a story about where I was in my journey at the time. I was searching for balance, trying to create structure and stability for my family while navigating the demands of the industry. I Love You, But I’m Busy captured that contradiction perfectly. This industry gives you incredible opportunities, but they come with a cost. You love the people around you deeply, but you’re constantly trying to normalise the sacrifices it takes to succeed. It’s the gift and the curse of doing what you love at the highest level.

My kids are still really young, so being present and giving them my full attention is a top priority. Honestly, my personal life mostly revolves around being a dad right now. The workload is intense, but it’s the kind of pace I used to dream of, so I’m grateful. That said, I’m still figuring it out. Still working on mastering the balance and becoming the best version of myself in both roles.

For my next collection with Saucony, I won’t include children’s shoes. I’m not sure if we’ll revisit children’s shoes at least in the short term.

What I enjoy the most about work is that I get to wake up and do the things that I would do for free to take care of myself and my family, and that’s an honour.

Monetise my childhood.

The one thing I hated about the discipline that we were taught growing up is that it strips you of all the bright, colourful, cartoon-inspired things that made us feel so happy, and everything is now so serious. My artistic vision has always been to renew my childhood and give everyone that feeling that we have all suppressed, now having to grow up.

Bright colours have energy. You’ll never see someone wear a bright colour outfit and not have a tremendous day.

Stop tying success to money, or happiness to money, or happiness to work.

My next collection with Saucony is a special one because I got to design four different silhouettes. They tell similar stories which challenged me as a collaborator, a storyteller and a partner. Many people may just see four different shoes, but I see four different obstacles to be able to use my canvas for good. The next collection is called Flowers Grew Up Uptown, and as that story begins to roll out, the vulnerability and the vision will be special.