There are brand trips, and then there was this. Last week we travelled to Kenya with Jordan Brand on a journey curated by Youssouf Fofana and Union de la Jeunesse Internationale, a trip that redefined what collaboration and community can look like when it’s done right. Instead of a typical influencer getaway, it felt like a master class in genuine connection, education, and exchange, with Kenya as both the setting and the teacher.
Over four days we moved between the energy of Nairobi and the calm beauty of Mount Kenya. At Gikomba Market, the largest second-hand market in Africa, we met the people who make fashion circular long before it became a trend. From there we jumped into a matatu, one of Nairobi’s colorful public buses, winding through the city as music blasted from the speakers and vendors shouted from the street. It was chaotic and alive in the best way.
The next morning we left the city behind and headed north toward Mount Kenya. Hours on the road turned into a blur of changing landscapes, roadside stops, and glimpses of wildlife. When we finally arrived at Maisha Sweetwaters Camp, the air felt lighter. Evenings were spent around the fire, trading stories and laughter under a sky full of stars. The conversations were as warm as the flames, moving from creativity to culture to what community really means when it’s built with intention. The next day started with sunrise tea at Old Moses Camp, and views that made everyone go quiet for a moment.
Back in Nairobi, our last day became a celebration. We spent it at Afrika House, surrounded by local artists, designers, and musicians who had gathered to share their work and energy. There was food, music, and the kind of conversation that reminds you why travel matters in the first place. Throughout it all, Jordan Brand was there, not as a silent observer but as part of the experience, capturing real moments and real people for their newly launched Coldest in the Game collections - Mountainside and Real Tree. It wasn’t about posing or performance, it was about living it and living in the garments from the mountain to the streets. It wasn’t about posing or performance, it was about living it.
What made this trip special wasn’t the itinerary or even the brand itself, it was the intention behind it. Everyone there, whether artist, editor, or creative, became both participant and storyteller for the Coldest in the Game collections. The campaign wasn’t created in front of a camera, it was shaped through genuine connection. In a time when collaboration often feels surface-level, this felt like something honest and lasting.
This was community in motion, a reminder that the strongest stories aren’t written in studios but in shared experiences, in places where people come together to listen, explore, and build.
Asante Sana, Kenya.
