The black and white nubuck Jonathan D shoes have become a fashion statement for young aspiring men, which is credited to media personality, Scoop Makhathini.
In the past year, many fashion brands have been demystified in South Africa. Like the fact that fashion brand, Fabiani, is actually South African, instead of the long-held perception that the brand was Italian.
Another fashion brand that is mainly associated with men’s wear that has been demystified in a similar manner is Jonathan D, which has recently undergone a change in its brand to target a more youthful audience. One of the bestsellers that has come from this change is the black and white nubuck Jonathan D shoe, and Siyabonga “Scoop Makhathini” Ngwekazi is credited as the personality that spearheaded the change in the brand’s positioning.
Who owns Jonathan D?
Jonathan D is currently owned by the South African group, GA Creative Brands, which is based in Sandton, Johannesburg. Aside from Jonathan D, the group also owns other fashion brands which include Cutty and Private Label. All of their brands are aimed at making menswear as their website asserts in part that, “GA is about one thing and one thing only: ensuring the South Africa man is always at the forefront of fashion.
For decades, our company has sourced, stocked and sold the biggest and best in all things menswear and brought them to our clients’ doorsteps.” Their aim is to provide quality clothing and accessories for aspiring men at affordable prices, while maintaining a mature and polished style.
Jonathan D shoes
In the past year, there has been an increase in Jonathan D’s visibility, in that it is at the forefront of street fashion. This is mostly credited to the Jonathan D shoes and their growing popularity amongst young, aspiring, fashionable men, specifically, the black and white nubuck leather Jonathan D shoes.
The shoe has featured in social media memes as it has circulated in the “starter pack up” of a metrosexual man, along with black skinny jeans, a belt, and a white-collared short sleeve t-shirt. While these memes may be comical, they speak to the fact that the pair of shoes have become a staple for young men who are looking to be on trend.
In the rise of the shoe’s popularity, one media personality has been credited with advancing the change in the brand’s positioning which, it was believed, was initially aimed at a more mature and well-established man. That media personality is radio and television personality, Siyabonga “Scoop Makhathini” Ngwekazi. In 2020, Scoop saw the pair of shoes on his Instagram feed and saw the potential of the shoe.
Without consulting the Jonathan D brand, he decided to purchase the shoes and post them on social media. After he posted them, Jonathan D reportedly reached out to him in order to work with him. Seeing the potential to rebrand Jonathan D, Scoop worked with the brand to reposition it for a more youthful demographic.
Who is the designer behind the Jonathan D signature shoes?
The black and white Jonathan D nubuck shoes, which have become one of the most recognisable fashion footwear statements for men in the past couple of years, is credited to Deed Streak, Jonathan D’s resident footwear designer and one of the leading influencers and tastemakers of shoe designs. Aside from working with Jonathan D, other notable shoe brands he has worked with include the likes of Clark Originals. However, since his release of the nubuck shoes, which remain a best seller for Jonathan D, he has continued to work for the brand.
How much are Jonathan D shoes?
At the core of Jonathan D’s ethos is providing quality and affordable clothing and shoes for aspiring men. Therefore, Jonathan D shoes are reasonably priced. A flip-flop sandal is the cheapest shoe for R169.99. The most expensive shoe available on the John Craig website is R1 149.99, which is the Jonathan D navy leather loafer with a buckle detail. The black and white nubuck shoes are not so widely available due to their popularity, and the latest popular shoe is the grey two-way colour scheme which retails for R849.99.
Where can I buy Jonathan D’s signature black and white nubucks?
Because Jonathan D’s black and white nubuck shoe was the shoe that repositioned the entire brand as it now goes by Jonny Dee, the shoe is seemingly scarce and difficult to find, as it was first released in 2020. Moreover, due the fact that there are a number of counterfeit Jonathan shoes online, the best option is to purchase them from reputable outlets. Markhams currently has the shoes available for sale on their online store, retailing a pair for R899.99.