The BMX icon reflects on his viral hand-written messages and gifting the ‘Brick After Bricks’ to Michael Jordan.

Queens-born BMX icon Nigel Sylvester reflects on his viral hand-written messages and gifting the ‘Brick After Bricks’ to Michael Jordan.

‘Brick by Brick’ was arguably the most celebrated sneaker of 2025. Where do you even start when there’s that much pressure on the sequel? 
 
Thank you, first and foremost. ‘Brick by Brick’ was such an incredible moment for me. The energy, the excitement and the conversation around that shoe catapulted me into a different space within the creative world. But honestly, going into ‘Brick After Brick,’ I didn't feel any pressure. 
 
For me, it was just about delivering a story and sneakers that people would connect with. I don’t want to put that pressure on myself like, “Oh, we have to do this again.” No. Just put out a good story, be authentic, be honest and give people something they can relate to. We left the design room feeling really good about them. From there, it’s up to the people. 
 
How do the two ‘Bricks’ complement each other? What’s the narrative bridge between the two sides of this story? 
 
In the design process, you sample a bunch of things to see what sticks and what works with the story you’re trying to tell. I felt the all-brick colorway was right for ‘Brick by Brick.’ That was the foundation—sacrificing and dedicating yourself to a dream until you reach that first milestone. Think about it as me coming into the game as an amateur and working my way up to being a pro. Or MJ coming into the league as a rookie and winning that first championship. That’s ‘Brick by Brick.’ 
 
Then you have ‘Brick After Brick,’ which is about sustaining that success. That takes a different level of focus, intensity and discipline. When you look at both shoes together, everything is very thoughtful. We aren't just slapping colors on a shoe; we’re intentional about how these tie back to the journey. That discovery and nuance is what gets me excited.

Are there any details someone might miss on a phone or computer screen but would notice once they have them in hand? 
 
Sneakers don't always photograph the best, you know? When people get these in hand, they’ll understand the level of materials we used. The brick texture on the hangtag and the heel tab is very physical—it mimics how a real brick feels to the touch. Also, having a bike symbol inside the heel tab is a big one. That’s something I’ve been drawing on boxes and posters for a long time, so now applying it to the shoe and having that bicycle representation means a lot. Without the bicycle, we wouldn't be sitting here right now. It's a symbol of freedom, exploration and joy. 
 
On the inner tongue, it says “Jordan Bike Co. Established in 2017.” That was the year we started working on my first AJ1, so it’s always about nodding back to where the journey started. 
 
It’s crazy that it’s been nearly a decade since you guys first started working together. 
 
Man, it’s gone by crazy fast. I feel like we’re making up for lost time now. Beat after beat, we're just trying to crush it. 
 
Speaking of crushing it, Michael Jordan was the first one to wear these. How did that happen? 
 
It was surreal. I was down in Florida a couple of months ago and we were having a little post-Sneaker of the Year celebration. I wanted MJ to be the first one I gifted these to. I presented them to him, he saw the box and said, “This is super cool.” But when I broke down the ethos and the story behind ‘Brick After Brick,’ that’s when he really fell in love with them. MJ appreciates a good story. He told me he was going to wear them, but I didn't know when. 
 
A week later, I’m sitting at my kitchen counter, scrolling Instagram and I see the photos pop up of him at Disney World. It was perfect because you could kind of make out what they were, but not fully. To have the GOAT debut a product you created is a milestone moment.

I remember when those photos first dropped and people started speculating. So you found out just like everyone else, just scrolling your phone? 
 
[Laughs] Yeah, I was just scrolling, man. Scrolling. It was dope. 
 
You’ve gifted a lot of pairs over the years. Of everyone you’ve gifted shoes to, who’s had the most memorable reaction? 
 
My mom. She doesn’t know much about sneaker culture, but she knows her son created this. I remember gifting her the <a href="https://www.goat.com/sneakers/nigel-sylvester-x-air-ship-bike-air-friends-family-nigel-air-ship-bike-air">Air Ships</a> we did and taking a photo of her holding them and the <a href="https://www.goat.com/sneakers/nigel-sylvester-x-air-jordan-1-retro-high-og-bv1803-106">AJ1s</a> at the same time. She had this big smile, and we were just in the living room laughing about the journey. Like, “who thought riding a bike as a kid would make it to this point?” 
 
My mother is such a huge inspiration and a motivating force. She sacrificed a lot to give me the opportunity to pursue my dreams, so being able to share those moments with her means the world to me. She even came to the pop-up shop last year, sat there and signed a couple of boxes. [Laughs] She had the best time. 
 
May is National Bike Month, and it’s also the fifth anniversary of your foundation. Can you talk about the work you’re doing there? 
 
I couldn't be happier. We started the <a href="https://www.instagram.com/nigelfoundation/">Nigel Sylvester Foundation</a> in 2021 to power neighborhoods and kids through bicycle riding. The bicycle is the most accessible mode of transportation in the world and a huge confidence builder. For our fifth anniversary, we’re donating 500 bikes to kids throughout New York City. 
 
We also just launched our financial literacy program, “Money Mindset,” in three schools, and an after-school program called “Switching Gears.” It’s a six-week program to support middle school kids. This month is big—celebrating Bike Month, releasing ‘Brick After Brick’ and supporting the community. I'm happy and blessed to keep pushing forward.

One thing that’s become part of your digital identity is writing messages on your hands. When did that start, and why did you decide to share that part of your process on social media? 
 
I grew up doodling on everything. My mom actually wanted to put me in art school because I was drawing all over the place. I was there for a couple of years, but then bike riding just took over. I’ve always drawn on stuff if I had a marker, but I never posted about it. Then, two summers ago, I was about to go for a ride and I wrote, “Create dope shit and the money will follow.” 
 
As an entrepreneur, making money is important, but I wanted to remind myself to lead with my heart and my creativity. I took a photo of it and posted it before I rode over the bridge. By the time I got to the city, it had crazy engagement. These motivating ideas really resonated with people. Now it’s just part of my ecosystem. Even when I announced the release date for this shoe, I wrote it on my hand. 
 
In the past few years, you’ve become a global icon. How do you stay so humble and grateful through all this growth? 
 
Thank you for saying that. I don't think you have to try hard when it's really who you are. I’m a kid from Jamaica, Queens who loves riding my bike and getting creative. I just put God first, truly. The weight of these opportunities doesn't fall short on me—I’ve sacrificed my entire life for this. Staying grounded in where I’m from and living in my purpose keeps me where I’m supposed to be. I believe I’m the most aligned I’ve ever been in my life. As long as I’m happy and creating at a high level with an amazing team, I’m going to keep pushing.

See what went into the <a href="https://www.goat.com/editorial/nigel-sylvester-interview" rel="noopener" target="_blank">‘Grandma’s Driveway’ 4s</a> and turn back the clock with a <a href="https://www.goat.com/editorial/nigel-sylvester" rel="noopener" target="_blank">conversation from 2018</a>.

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