Meet Jesse and Alejandra, the recipients of the Sean Wotherspoon x Greg Yüna his and her rings, inspired by Kenya Barris’ new comedy on Netflix, You People. Both self-proclaimed sneakerheads, Jesse and Alejandra met on Twitter in 2017 and quickly realized they both shared a passion for social justice. Today, the pair run a non-profit called Pasos for Oak Cliff, an organization that buys and gifts sneakers to underprivileged students.
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Netflix: You People
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Netflix: You People
In You People, Ezra and Amira initially connect after discovering their shared admiration for the Air Max 1/97. Soon after, the couple find themselves navigating the intricacies of a cross-cultural relationship. For Jesse and Alejandra, the road to matrimony is in the cards and it’s proving to be a bit easier in terms of blending families. When things get tough for the couple, it’s their solid bond — built in part by their love for sneaker conventions — but mostly their deep admiration for each other that keeps them together. “With the non-profit, we help students that lack confidence by giving them sneakers,” says Jesse. “Being able to do that brings us closer together because we’re able to share that with the rest of the community,” adds Alejandra.
Mirroring the film’s love story, Netflix brought together sneaker designer Sean Wotherspoon and NYC-based jeweler Greg Yüna to design a one-of-a-kind 1/1 pair of rings for the couple. Drawing parallels to the film’s protagonists, Ezra and Amira and their love for sneaker culture, this bespoke keepsake references Wotherspoon’s iconic Nike Air Max 1/97, resembling dainty shoelace strings with diamond-adorned aglets.1 of 5
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The rings, crafted from gold, adopt design elements from Wotherspoon’s hybrid Air Max 1/97 released in 2018, including retro-inspired enameling on the inside of the ring, a woven shoelace pattern applied to the finish of the metal and the addition of round-cut diamonds at the ends for added luster. “It’s really crazy how in You People, Ezra and Amira are brought together through sneakers, and I feel like Netflix brought me and Sean together,” notes Wotherspoon. When discussing the design ideation, Wotherspoon explains that laces seemed like an organic way to bring the film’s spirit to life: “You can’t wear shoes without having the laces; you can’t have that story without having the lace tying it up. That’s what we did through the rings to say, ‘Hey, laces should be gold. They should be diamond-encrusted.’ This is a really important part of the story and the sneaker.”
Watch the video above to see Yüna and Wotherspoon document their design process alongside Jesse and Alejandra’s heartwarming giveaway reveal. You People is now available to stream on Netflix. Read more about the film’s star-studded cast here.
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