Project 96's Peter Johnson designs "Balanced Diet" sneaker for Nike NYC
Nigerian-born Project 96 founder Peter “PetahJay” Johnson, captured by Stephen Tayo.
Lagos-born Peter “PetahJay” Johnson is a proud NYC-transplant. Since his arrival in Queens ten years ago, Peter has dedicated much of his time to sharing his experiences of displacement and belonging with the world. As the founder of Project 96, an ever-growing streetwear clothing brand and creative company, Peter has taken an innovative and collaborative approach to building community and ensuring that nobody, transplant or native, feels displaced.
Today, Peter is telling his story of cultural duality through fashion, with the help of Nike NYC and Cultivator. Through the Nike By You x Cultivator Creator campaign, Peter was offered the opportunity to use Nike’s new Air Max 200s as his canvas. With the creative control granted to him, he carefully designed Balanced Diet, a sneaker that accurately represents his journey from Nigeria to America, his transition from being an outsider to being one of the most widely known creatives in NYC, and everything in between. With this sneaker release, Peter hopes that the story he tells is not only relevant to him, but to all transplants—from one country to another, from one state to another, from one city to another, from one borough to another. Peter’s limited edition Balanced Diet sneakers can be seen below (photos courtesy of Nike) and can be purchased here.
