Inside Téla D'Amore's Debut Collaboration with Jordan Brand
“This is what I’ve been waiting for my whole life.” — Téla D’Amore, co-founder of Who Decides War
Téla D’Amore, Designer and Co-Founder of Who Decides War, has built a name for herself with her layered, asymmetrical denim and streetwear-inspired designs that merge sustainability with culture. During a morning Zoom call from her New York City studio, D’Amore opened up about the story behind her first-ever sneaker collaboration with Jordan Brand— the Jordan Flight Court.
Her debut design blends her streetwear roots with skate culture, incorporating premium details like a velvet lining for added comfort and a removable back-tab that reveals an embroidered Who Decides War x Jordan logo beneath. This collaboration marks a new chapter for the designer, as she steps into the world of footwear for the first time, bringing her creative vision to life in an entirely new space.
In our latest instalment of Baes with Kicks, we explore D’Amore’s creative process, her vision for the Jordan Flight Court and how this partnership with Jordan Brand is just the beginning of her sneaker journey.
Name: Téla D’Amore
Location: New York City
Occupation: Designer and Co-Founder of Who Decides War
How did the partnership with Jordan Brand come about?
They reached out to me. It was incredible that they saw something different in me compared to what the landscape was centred around at the time as [there's been] so much focus on social media following and how that might translate into conversations about projects. This felt special because they recognized someone like me, who’s been quietly working behind the scenes.
It’s a big risk for a company to do that, so I have to thank Jordan Brand for seeing the potential. From the start, it’s been about real creativity and design, letting me do my thing, which is all I could ask for. For a creative, that freedom to express ideas and grow through feedback (positive or negative) is everything. When they reached out, I thought, this is what I’ve been waiting for my whole life!
Why the Jordan Flight Court?
I was presented with a few options, but this one clicked. The synergy was in exploring something new—what’s next for Jordan Brand. The legacy of their retro models is undeniable, especially for sneakerheads, but at some point, we need to ask, “what’s next?”
The Jordan Flight Court felt like the answer. I believe it’s an everyday shoe that is functional, comfortable and fashionable. It checks all the boxes. They provided the model, and I came in to define what it looked like aesthetically.
What was the design process like?
Honestly, when I got to campus, I was like, all this talking is great—I love the conversation—but now let’s go make some stuff. So, I went straight to the materials lab. That’s how we’ve always worked—even back when we didn’t have a dollar to our names in fashion. We’d go to the garment district, find materials that inspired us and we’d make something.
I spent hours in the lab that day, designing seven prototypes. The final shoe you see now is just a hair away from what I created on that first day. I only made a few small tweaks. I took one element along the side, switched it to a blackout, added denim as a little ode to my brand and that was it.
It was an incredible, surreal moment. I didn’t need to overthink it. Just take me to the materials and let me work. That’s exactly what we did.
What were your followers and the sneaker community’s initial reaction to the shoe?
It was first leaked about a month ago, with no tie to Who Decides War, it just dropped randomly on a sneaker website. When it leaked, I thought, alright, here we go, my work’s about to get eaten up in these comments. But the response was overwhelmingly positive, which I didn’t expect.
At first, I didn’t even know it had dropped—I was busy preparing for my show. My team hit me up like, “Hey, sorry your shoe is out in the world right now.” Not long after, the Jordan team reached out like, “Have you seen the response? This is kind of crazy.” It’s incredible to see people responding positively to something you put your heart into. That was a great moment, seeing that organic reaction before anyone knew the backstory.
You’ve called this a “multipurpose skate shoe.” Did skate culture influence the design?
Absolutely! My younger brother is a big-time skater. Growing up, I was always chasing him around. He’s one of those kids who has no idea how talented he is and just does it for fun; whether it’s skating to get from A to B or landing insane tricks. He’s the reason I learned how to shoot on my first video camera. He’d say, “Record me,” so we’d steal my mom’s camera and go shoot skate videos. That’s how it all started.
When I looked at the shoe, I knew immediately it could work as a skate shoe. It wasn’t part of my marketing pitch—it was just instinct. The design naturally leaned that way because my style is so influenced by skate culture. My brother and I still share baggy pants to this day—it’s all tied to that lifestyle.
Skate culture is raw and passion-driven, and I wanted to honor that. I’ve always loved that energy. It’s the same mindset I bring to creating, whether it’s drawing or designing. The shoe reflects that. I added darning in high-wear areas, like the toe, which is the first to get busted. When the shoe leaked by accident, I was so excited to see people saying, “I gotta skate this.” That’s the ultimate validation for me.
How did designing a shoe differ from designing clothes?
From the start, I designed from a very technical place. I like to know what everything is called, so that was my first hurdle—learning the terminology. What’s a foxing? How does the sock liner separate from the inner workings of the shoe? In these meetings, things move quickly, and I wanted to keep up.
From there, my design approach was about bringing the same elements I’ve used in my clothing into footwear. I didn’t see any reason to separate the two. For example, darning—something we use in our denim to reinforce it—was a key element I brought to the shoe. We’ve developed all these bulletproof techniques in our denim and jackets to make them durable, functional, and long-lasting.
Everything I’ve learned, every resource I’ve tapped into, went into this shoe. Other projects might take me in a completely different direction, where I immerse myself in someone else’s world and design from their perspective. But this? This was all me—a true through line from everything I’ve done before.
It’s my first shoe, and I feel good about it because everyone around me supported the process, and it’s been such an incredible experience—both in the design itself and now, bringing it out into the world.
What’s your favorite detail on the shoe?
I love so many things, but one thing I really like is the velvet. The whole point of the velvet was adding that comfort aspect. I didn’t want to use performance material or anything too basketball-focused, I wanted something people would feel comfortable in.
I’m also really into the way you can actually take the back-tab off—it’s a film, and underneath that is another back-tab. It’s like, you can rip it off and it’s there. The Jordan logo is on the back with Who Decide War branding, too. I was really particular about not printing that, it had to be embroidered on the outside. If you rip it off, it’s embroidered again underneath. No printing, just straight embroidery.
Looking ahead, do you see more opportunities for future collaborations, either with Jordan Brand or other sneaker brands?
Yeah, for sure. The beauty of this partnership is that Jordan Brand and I had a real conversation about it. I’ve walked away from other partnerships before because I don’t believe in poaching the creative. I don’t believe in taking a really great story someone has and letting it be just a flash in the pan.
With my friends who are creatives, if they have something going on, it’s important for them to have those longer conversations, not just a quick little something. That’s how I feel with Jordan Brand. I’m very vocal about that. I don’t want it to just be a one-off.
That’s what these larger companies need to do with smaller brands and creatives like us. How do we come in and make a bigger change than just a product? This is definitely not a one-and-done. I showed up and was like, “Let’s get to it.” That’s the energy you need to bring to every project.
