Joseph Robinson of Joe Freshgoods Reveals a Collab 20 Years in the Making Releases in 2027

If you're from Chicago or have simply been following the Ghetto Runways podcast by creative director Marcus Dane and designer Alonzo Jackson since its launch in Spring 2024, you know an episode with Joseph Robinson of Joe Freshgoods and Every Now and Then was only a matter of time.

Over the course of an hour, the three midwest-natives discussed everything from changes in neighborhoods like Wicker Park, Robinson's formation at Leaders 1354 and subsequent creative career, and the opening of Josephine's, a café inside the Every Now and Then space (1843 W Chicago Ave), and how he wants people to start referring to him by his government name instead of "Joe Freshgoods" because "Joe Freshgoods is like 30 people."

The three men also touched on some upcoming product from JFG, with Jackson asking Robinson, "You got any collabs coming soon?"

"I do," responded the 39-year-old.

"Where that boot at, man?" interjected Dane, mischievously laughing in a way that suggests he had just said a little too much.

"You stupid, don't do that," Robinson replied while laughing.

He continued: "I got a collab coming out with a brand that everybody loves...you know what's so craz—this brand I'm 'bout to work with is, uh, I've probably worn this shoe more than I've worn anything in my life...I've been harassing them for 20-plus years, so...let everybody do the math on what that is, but yeah, we got some big stuff coming out next year. Excited about that."

Up to this point, Robinson has worked with several big players in the sportswear space, boasting official projects with adidas, Converse, Vans, and of course, New Balance.

So, what brand(s) might be left, with whom he could work for in 2027? Our guess is either Nike/Jordan Brand or Timberland®.

If you scroll far back enough on the @joefreshgoods Instagram account, you'll find dozens of candid photos from Joseph Robinson's early documented days creating out of Chicago's Westside. Some of the footwear he featured consistently in the days before proper brand deals and the mix of high fashion with sport through monumental adidas Originals partnerships (e.g. Raf Simons, Jeremy Scott) include the Air Jordan 3, Air Jordan 4, Nike Air Force 1, and Timberland® 6-Inch Boot in an array of colors.

Based on the sheer number of photos and the fact that Robinson expressed that this big collab for 2027 is a shoe he’s worn more than any other silhouette in his life, all signs point to an Air Force 1 collaboration. The occasion would also make sense given that the Swoosh is gearing up for a monumental 45th anniversary of the AF-1 next year.

It’s important to note that Robinson’s digital footprint shows him having taken a liking to Mid and High cuts of the “presidential” sneaker—including the Nike Special Field Air Force 1 High (SF AF-1) model that launched in Fall 2017. If the entrepreneur (who once worked at and got fired from Niketown Chicago) has a boot-like Air Force 1 on the way, it could explain why Dane specifically teased about a pair of boots; it could also explain why Robinson told Jackson, himself a fan of more aggressive, avant-garde footwear, he thinks he’d like what he’s prepped for 2027.

One important thing to keep in mind in all this speculation is that Joseph Robinson is currently both an independent collaborator with and creative director for New Balance. Given how the Chicagoan speaks about the Boston-based brand (and the fact that he’s alluded to having a handsome salary from it), it’s difficult to imagine Joe Freshgoods ending its six-year relationship with New Balance in order to go work for the world’s biggest sportswear brand. Exclusivity is almost always part of collaborator deals with NIKE, Inc. and adidas, but it’s possible Robinson—if he indeed is working with the Swoosh or Jumpman—has circumvented this limitation in the same way Kith and The Whitaker Group have.

Robinson actually touches on this during his Ghetto Runways appearance, expressing that if brands want exclusivity, they’re going to have to pay for it.

Perhaps Joseph Robinson the creative remains at New Balance, but Joe Freshgoods the brand ventures out to finally work with Nike and/or Jordan Brand in an official capacity.

A linkup between the Chicagoan and Oregon-based conglomerate would be huge given the connection to Michael Jordan. Furthermore, a silhouette like the Air Force 1 has long established itself as a canvas of self-expression in the city, something Robinson has championed throughout his career.

Whatever it is that Robsinson does and with whomever, it’s virtually guaranteed that the project will be fresh, unapologetically Black, and another example of elite-level world-building.