Breaking down the collection further, and teasing what was to follow, we talked through the streetwear line: two-tone hoodies, dresses and breathable shorts that could absorb all the sweat of a\u00a0nail-biting World Cup game this summer, naturally, all adorned in the colours of the Brazil flag. Curious about what players on the ground would be wearing, I\u00a0pivoted the chat accordingly. Fans would be able to get their hands on a\u00a0kit made from 100 per cent textile waste in yellow and blue, plus some tactile, acid-orange Tiempo Maestro football boots inspired by the look of elephant skin, sure to fly off the shelves. \u201c[The Jordan x\u00a0Brazil kit collaboration] feels very similar to what we\u2019ve seen, even in the basketball communities that were initially so infectious,\u201d she said. \u200b\u201cThere\u2019s something really special that\u2019s happening here, and it\u2019ll resonate across the globe.\u201d<\/p>\n
As our time together wrapped, I\u00a0threw in a\u00a0few quick-fire questions. Her first pair of the iconic trainers? \u200b\u201cAir Jordan 1s. My parents wouldn\u2019t buy me Jordans, so they became very aspirational for me,\u201d Sarah said, coyly. Asked about her favourite player, she smiled mischievously: \u200b\u201cMichael Jordan,\u201d she replied, a\u00a0cheeky glint in her eye. With that, I\u00a0headed back to the hotel, pumped for the main event: the global unveiling of the Brasil X\u00a0Jordan World Cup kit.<\/p>\n
Hopping off the bus, the bass-thumping, bone-rattling music seeped out of the red-lit venue, Est\u00e1dio Sinistro. Inside, a\u00a0large sculpture of a\u00a0raven sat at the centre, its blackened eyes emblazoned with Jordan\u2019s Jumpman logo across the pupils. A\u00a0red screen counted down the final seconds, then a\u00a0montage of players appeared. After a\u00a0few words from Mensah, the celebration turned up a\u00a0notch as dancers moved fluidly to Brazilian trap, and out stepped Ronaldinho (I know him!) in the kit, greeted by a\u00a0room full of cheers.<\/p>\n
After the dancing subsided and the footballers\u2019 kick-ups came to a\u00a0halt, platforms displaying people in the full Brazil Jordan kits appeared around the room, signalling the start of the customisation station. Down a\u00a0flight of stairs at the afterparty, more floor-shaking Brazilian tunes filled the space, drawing people to the dance floor, and a\u00a0mini moshpit ensued after Sheck Wes performed Mo Bamba and a\u00a0flurry of other hits. A\u00a0hangover later, three hours of sleep under my belt, some pics I\u2019d rather forget and new friends I\u00a0surely wouldn\u2019t, it was time to wrap up my time in Brazil.<\/p>\n
At breakfast, I\u00a0caught up with a\u00a0few people from the trip. Noah, founder of Peche Football<\/a>, was barely awake but already clad in his freshly delivered Jordan \u00d7 Brazil T\u2011shirt, still buzzing as he relived the set-up, custom jerseys and montage of the greatest players to grace the pitch. For Daniel, who had flown in from Australia and worked across campaign and production at Complex, it was all about the storytelling and the slowly unfurling suspense of it all.<\/p>\n My takeaway? I\u2019m no closer to earning a\u00a0spot on Match of the Day, but I\u2019d never turn down a\u00a0challenge \u2013 and this one was absolutely unforgettable. S\u00e3o Paulo, consider me officially smitten.<\/p>\n