SneAKA 2.0: A Tribute to Kiernan 'AKA' Forbes and his fashion impact
When he said “I'm gon' live forever like Coachella” on his song “Me and You”, AKA was not kidding because although he has passed, his brand lives on.
The legacy of celebrated South African rapper Kiernan “AKA” Forbes shines brighter than ever. His brand, in collaboration with Reebok, is set to unveil a groundbreaking sneaker collection.
Titled “SneAKA 2.0”, this new range is a celebration of the musician’s legacy and his impact on the fashion industry as one of the most celebrated sneakerheads.
AKA loved street style and vintage fashion pieces. His outfits wouldn’t be complete without some fresh kicks.
In a promo video for the SneAKA drop, his friends and family spoke about how they just wanted to honour him and allow his fans to get a piece of him to cherish for a very long time.
“We want to do this for one reason and one reason only, to celebrate Kiernan,” said Lynn Forbes, AKA’s mom.
She added that although AKA and Reebok may have had a misunderstanding in the past, they were in good terms by the time her son passed away.
His musician girlfriend Nadia Nakai was happy about the continuous collaboration between the two giant brand.
“His legacy is powerful, it cannot be unwritten. And you don’t have to do anything more to preserve what he had already done while he was still with us.
“When it comes to the sneaker, it’s so special because it’s something he was involved in when he was still here. So for this to come back, I think is the most fitting way for us to do something that has to do with him after his passing,” said Nakai.
Everybody knows that AKA loved his country, so much that whenever he performed his mic would be draped with a South African flag.
And when he worked with Reebok to release the first range of the SneAKA in October 2019, which sold out within 10 minutes, he had plans for another range.
He wanted the South African flag to be on the SneAKA and Tim Bristols, the product manager of Reebok, said when AKA requested that a few years ago, it was a significant ask. But now they’ve managed to bring that design to life.
"One of the things Kiernan really wanted was the South African flag on the SneAKA. Unfortunately, that wasn’t possible back in 2019, but with The SneAKA 2.0, we’ve finally made that wish a reality.
“This is a huge win for him, his fans, and the legacy he leaves behind,” added PJ Morilly, brand director of Reebok South Africa.
Featuring the classic leather silhouette in chalk-coloured garment leather, the SneAKA 2.0 is one-of-a-kind because, for the first time, the South African flag replaces the traditional Union Jack- making the SneAKA 2.0 the first Reebok sneaker to carry another nation’s flag.
It also has AKA’s handwritten initials, KJF, embroidered on the rear left heel, alongside pops of 3M reflective material, representing the energy and light he brought into the world.
The SneAKA 2.0 officially drops on November 16 and only 1000 pairs will be available for purchase.