This weekend, the 2nd annual ComplexCon in Long Beach City interlaced culture, collaboration, commerce and conversation. The three-day event featured some of the music and fashion industries’ biggest names, including talks by designers like Virgil Abloh, and even a performance by DJ Khaled. Hundreds of clothing brands also displayed their most exclusive wares on the showroom floor.
Amongst Murakami sunflowers bouncing to live performances, it was the perfect backdrop for Global Citizen and M5 Showroom to commence their partnership in support of Freedom and Justice for All.
Earlier this year Global Citizen announced that in partnership with M5, ten pairs of limited edition Nike Air Force 1 sneakers would be raffled off at the convention in a contest whose proceeds would go towards Global Citizen’s mission to end extreme poverty by 2030.
Read More: Global Citizen and M5 Showroom Are Teaming Up to Design 10 Limited-Edition Sneakers
Limited edition M5 New Era hats, Master Dynamic headphones, and Pintrill pins were also displayed for sale during the weekend. M5 has graciously pledged to donate 100% of the proceeds from these sales to Global Citizen in order to further their work.
It was an exciting opportunity to use fashion as a medium of raising awareness and inspiring change.
“We’re thrilled to have M5’s support in our mission to create a world that is fair and just for all,” said Victoria Fortune, Manager, Strategic Partnerships for Global Citizen. “Now Global Citizens can proudly wear their activism through fashion and put their best foot forward while they’re advocating for change.”
Aside from the ComplexCon exclusive shoe releases from brands such as Nike, Adidas, Puma and Vans, there were various panels that took place focusing on everything from art, to collaboration and culture. In the words of Andre 3000 during one of the many world-class discussions of the weekend, "Great magic happens when you collab.”
Collaborations were certainly a major theme of ComplexCon. Marketing Director of M5 Showroom Mayan Rajendran expresses his thoughts on the Global Citizen and M5 collaboration:
“I’ve been on the other side and understand what it’s like to be in a tough situation. Not everyone gets the opportunity to give back and I am working with M5 every day to take small steps in creating a big change. M5 showroom has leveraged our existing relationships with fashion and New York to give back to those in need. Within a year, we would like to raise enough money to feed Lower Manhattan for a year.”
Read More: Global Citizen and M5 Showroom Are Teaming Up to Design 10 Limited-Edition Sneakers
People flocked to see the bespoke design of Nike’s iconic silhouette, and speak with representatives about Global Citizen’s work to eliminate extreme poverty. Many liked the look of the sneakers, which features a map of the world on the outsole of the shoe, but decided to enter the raffle after learning more about the mission that underlies their design.
By the end of the weekend, Global Citizen raised over $5,000 from selling raffle tickets.
Four lucky fans took home their own pair, and another three online winners can expect their kicks in the mail soon. One lucky online winner was none other than Sean “Diddy” Combs, who took to twitter to show his delight.
Happy to have a pair of these special Nike AF1s!! Love to @GlblCtzn @M5Shopnyc and the For Freedom.For Justice.For All. movement!! pic.twitter.com/GO0NzI86bn
— Sean Diddy Combs (@diddy) November 5, 2017
The collaboration proved to be a stylish statement about the good that can come when leaders across industries team up to take on the world’s toughest problems. Together, Global Citizen and M5 are using fashion as a tool to etch social justice issues in the forefront of our global generation.
All told, three pairs of the Global Citizen x M5 Showroom shoes still remain up for grabs for three fans who enter the raffle to win by buying tickets here.
In the meantime, check out some photos of the shoe in action, featuring some of the winners we met at ComplexCon.
