Tyshawn Jones once again partners with adidas Skateboarding to drop the Tyshawn II, the latest iteration of the pro skateboarder’s signature skate shoe reimagined with a clean navy, grey, and white colorway.

Courtesy of adidas Skateboarding

The sneaker, which comes stacked with upgrades, including a memory foam-lined collar for comfort, breathable perforated toe box, and Adituff paneling to handle serious wear and tear, also boasts a series of signature details embellishing the shoe’s patent leather surface. All in all, the collaboration has masterfully spawned a product of laidback refinement without veering into the rails of ostentation. And a set of Track Pants, a Jacket, and the Tyshawn Tee round out the drop, logically fusing the two time Thrasher Skater of the Year winner’s individual style with the classic Adidas fit. 

Courtesy of adidas Skateboarding

To celebrate the launch, Tyshawn and adidas will take over New York City’s SoHo (the Dominique Ansel side, not the Aime Leon Dore one) with The Bronx News, a bodega-style pop-up running June 5–8 at 203 Spring St. Just don’t expect to find a bacon, egg, and cheese (although at nearly $8 a pop nowadays, who’s looking for one). Inside, the shop will offer exclusive Thrasher x King Skateboards collab decks, early release Tyshawn Thunder trucks, and rare Tyshawn Spitfire wheels. Guests can grab scratch-off tickets for a shot at free gear.

Leading up to the release of the Tyshawn II, the pro skateboarder sat down with VMAN to map out his partnerships with Adidas, now ten years in the making, recount his close connection with New York, and look back on his early days as a fledgling skater.

Courtesy of adidas Skateboarding

V Magazine: We’ll jump right into it. Can you tell V a little bit about how your partnership with adidas Skateboarding came about? 

Tyshawn Jones: Jascha Muller approached me when I was like 14. He wanted to ask me how my relationship with my shoe sponsor at the time was, and if there was any interest to do some business together. At first, I shot it down because I was young and just wanted to do what I was already doing. But, he was persistent, and I took a meeting with them, and I liked what they had to say, and we made it happen. 

V: Awesome. V were reading through the press release there’s a line that says ‘the shoes signature details reflect your unmistakable vibe’, but it doesn’t say what your vibe is. So, how would you describe your vibe? 

TJ: Just cool, calm, and collected. 

Courtesy of adidas Skateboarding

V: Is there anything you’re most excited about regarding this release? 

TJ: I mean, I love this shoe because I think it’s different from, like, a skate type of shoe in a sense. The material we use is patent leather. It looks a little bit more luxurious and gives it a different kind of pop. It reminds me of—you know, a fashion kind of element to it. I think that’s always cool, because that’s not something you generally see with skate shoes, so I was excited most about that. 

V: What were some of the biggest stylistic influences that helped shape this collection or that influenced your own style growing up?

TJ: I always chalk it up to my environment, where I come from, the things I’ve seen, where I’ve grown up and seeing the influence of my peers and my family and relatives. I think it all just comes from New York. 

Courtesy of adidas Skateboarding

V: Yes! You grew up in the Bronx, so it seems fitting that you’d introduce this collab with a pop-up there. How do you feel about returning to where it all started?

TJ: I think New York is my base, it will always continue to be my base, so anything I do is always going to be rooted around New York City. I’m always excited to put on for my city and to do exciting things here. To me, it’s like not even a question or thought because it’s inevitable that Tyshawn is going to keep doing cool events and things for New York, because New York shaped who I am today. 

Courtesy of adidas Skateboarding

V: How so? What do you think you learned by living here? 

TJ: I think New York makes you grow up fast. Obviously, traveling around the city on my own at a very young age, getting to learn public transportation, meeting new people from different races, different ethnic groups, all types of different things. New York is just really, to me, the greatest city in the world, and to a lot of people, I think they could attest to that. I think New York just shaped me to be a man and grow up very fast. 

Courtesy of adidas Skateboarding

V: When you first started out skateboarding, you were about ten, and then you had this offer from Adidas. How did you feel realizing that this thing you had a knack for and loved could be more lucrative and more interdisciplinary with fashion and culture?

TJ: I was very young and naive at that age. Kind of stuck in my ways. I really only cared about skating. So I never really let that consume my brain, because I was so infatuated with just being the best skater I could be. I would say, I didn’t even realize in those moments how that would shape my future into what I’m doing now. Where I am today, I look back at those moments, like, ‘wow.’ I wasn’t in the moment. I was so focused on just being young and skating with my friends. That’s all I cared about.

V: What was it about you that made these brands and people want to work with you and highlight your skill? 

TJ: I really can’t answer that. I don’t know. I’ll let them tell it. I can’t answer for others. I would hope that they just liked the way I skated, and that I was a nice person. 

Courtesy of adidas Skateboarding

V: Do you have any dream partnerships or products that you’ve always wanted to release? 

TJ: I want to make a car. That’d be fire.

V: What would that look like? 

TJ: You’re just gonna have to wait and see. 

V: Is there anything else you want readers to know about this collab with adidas Skateboarding?

TJ: I would want them to know that this ten year plus partnership has been going great. There’s been no hiccups along the way. I’m excited to be there as long as they’re excited to have me. This was all built off a skateboarder, and if they want to try out a good shoe, check out the Tyshawn II.

Courtesy of adidas Skateboarding

The Tyshawn II sneaker and signature apparel will be available starting June 1st on adidas.com and globally on the Confirmed App, adidas.com/tyshawn, in-store and at select retailers.