What Are Those: JBR
Get to know Doha’s enigmatic sneakerhead
While his internet identity is ambiguous, JBR’s impact has been unmistakable. From contributing to the development of major arts and cultural institutions such as the National Museum of Qatar and fashion hub M7 to repping his culture by wearing a thobe during Paris Fashion Week, JBR has become a creative cultural force in the region. Level caught up with the man of mystery in Doha for a rare glimpse inside his stacked collection.
SHOP SNEAKERS“Wearing the thobe to the Louis Vuitton show was an opportunity for me to represent Qatar and our heritage in a high-fashion manner.”
How did the meet-up with the late Virgil Abloh come about in 2021?
Meeting Virgil was very special to me. I met him when he visited Doha for his Figures of Speech exhibition in 2021. I was told that Virgil wanted to tailor a thobe, so I brought the tailor to him at the Qatar National Museum. He was with architect Samir Bhantal of OMA, who worked with him on the exhibition. Samir knew that I wanted to get a pair signed. As soon as I was there, Samir looked at me and I knew it was time to take my basketball out. Virgil saw it and instantly knew it was rare. I got the Jordan out as well and that’s how it became so iconic and sentimental. To me, it’s an art piece.
What was the significance of wearing a thobe to Louis Vuitton’s runway show in Paris and how was it received?
At first, I thought I couldn’t take the risk because I didn’t know how people would react to it, but I decided to just do it. When I saw how they liked the thobe, it inspired me more. Wearing the thobe to the Louis Vuitton show was an opportunity for me to represent Qatar and our heritage in a high-fashion manner. It was a moment that I would never forget.
How do you shop and collect sneakers?
When I shop for sneakers, I don’t go for hype. I shop and collect what I like. In total, I think I have around 1000 pairs or more.
What are your top three all-time favourite sneaker styles?
It would be the Air Jordan 1 High on top, Air Force 1s in second place, and finally, the Air Jordan 4.
What is your dream collaboration?
My dream collab, if I do one, would be an Air Jordan 1 High X JBR, of course.
