JBF Gave Up Custom Air Jordans to Make His Own Sneakers, and He Told Us Why

We interviewed JBF Customs on why he stopped making custom Air Jordans to start his own line.

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Complex Original

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All good things come to an end, and for sneaker customizer JBF Customs, that meant giving up on his trademark of reworking Air Jordans into high-end pieces of footwear with exotic leathers and skins.



It's just been a matter of my skill catching up to my ambition, and that's where I'm at right now.


But according to JBF, whose real name is Jake Ferrato, that phase of his career is now over. Before the clock struck midnight on New Year's Eve, Ferrato made an announcement that he was going to focus on new endeavors, and we got a first look at that yesterday. He's still making "customs," but they're in the form of made-to-order sneakers that he designed and handmade himself.

Although he showed the world his first silhouette yesterday, Ferrato has been working on this idea for quite some time. "I wanted to make my own [sneakers] since I was in elementary school," he says. "I used to draw shoes in my notebooks instead of taking notes in class. It's just been a matter of my skill catching up to my ambition, and that's where I'm at right now."

Ferrato's first sneaker, which is currently unnamed, is in the vein of other high-end models. It's white, made from premium leather, and sits atop the same Italian-made soles that are seen on Common Projects and Balenciaga. For those who think he's just jumping on the latest trend, Ferrato has been refining this design in his head until he got it right. "I’ve been messing with that [sneaker] for a long time," he says. "That idea has been in my head for years and when I sat down and sketched it, it really didn’t take that long. But its been developing mentally for a long time."

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With a suggested price point of nearly $1,000, Ferrato's first sneakers aren't going to be cheap, but he's going to offer the same custom touch to his own products that he's offered in the past. "You'll be able to get python or crocodile, or you can just get a nice suede or leather. The sky's the limit," he says.

This new direction also brings new challenges. In the past, Ferrato's work has become well-known in sneaker culture, and he's served up custom sneakers to the likes of Wale and DJ Clark Kent. He's committed to the future, but that doesn't mean it's going to be an easy ride. "Of course I'm nervous," he says. "But I'd rather be nervous than be bored doing all of these Jordans."

He's also spawned a legion of imitators, too, which makes this the right time to move on. Ferrato claims that his fans need something new and the world of sneakers is getting stale. Even though he expresses that sentiment, Ferrato still realizes how far he's come in his career. "I was painting sneakers when I was 16, now I'm making them from scratch," he says. "A lot of people have followed my progress, so I think they'll be really excited with this."

But for now, Ferrato is busy finishing up the last of his custom Air Jordans, of which he said he has 20 or so to complete. Then it's full steam ahead, one stitch at a time.

Matt Welty is a staff writer at Complex. You can follow him on Twitter here.