Cultural leaders Dave Jeff and Yohance Lacour reflect on Chicago sneaker culture, fashion hustle, and purpose-driven design during a powerful conversation at The Emily Hotel in Fulton Market (Photo Credit: Terence Crayton Photography).
My family influenced my style, as we would often go shopping at various stores on weekends. Some of those eras have shaped my worldview and continue to influence my style today.
In the heart of Chicago’s Fulton Market District, two longtime friends and cultural leaders, Dave Jeff and Yohance Lacour, came together for an honest, embracing conversation on sneaker culture, creativity, politics and purpose.
Hosted at The Emily Hotel and moderated by Maggie Gillette of The Curio, it was a fresh, unfiltered dialogue about creating within limits while shaping the mainstream.
Dave and Yohance’s Friendship
Photo Credit: Terence Crayton Photography
“It’s wild being up here with Dave, this is family. Like, real family. We’ve known each other since we were shorties,” said Lacour.
For over 30 years, Jeff and Yohance have been friends, and the conversation started with a personal story about fashion in Chicago and New York. People often think of New York when it comes to fashion and culture, and for good reasons. But for Yohance, it was more personal than that. He spent a considerable amount of time in Harlem during his childhood. Still, he quickly reminds everyone that Hyde Park was its own thing.
“Hyde Park was its world, right in the South Side, but pulled from everywhere. The West Side, downtown, and the university. Black, white, Asian, rich, struggling, we all grew up together. It wasn’t ‘fashion,’ it was just us. City and bougie. You had to level up—the standard was different,” said Lacour.
When it came to fashion, Lacour and Jeff were living it long before the culture had a name. The term “sneakerhead” didn’t exist yet. Back then, it was just about standing out—finding the rarest kicks, setting trends and doing whatever it took to stay fresh.
“We were hitting Maxwell Street, going to Tony Sports, skipping lunch just to chase a drop. We’d trade pairs with friends, iron out creases and even share jeans to look fresh,” said Jeff.
Sneaker Love
Photo Credit: Terence Crayton Photography
Long before the term “sneakerhead” became mainstream, Chicagoans were already living the lifestyle. And in true local fashion, they didn’t call them sneakers—they were gym shoes, a nod to the days when those kicks were only allowed during school gym class.
“Honestly, ‘sneakerhead’ is a new word,” said Lacour. “Back in the day, we were out here chasing down whatever gym shoes no one else had.”
In those days, it wasn’t all about Nike. The style rotation included Reeboks, Converse, Spot-Bilt Sauconys, K-Swiss—whatever was fresh and hard to find.
“Sneakers were like our first cars; you built your outfit from the bottom up. Shoes first, everything else followed,” said Jeff.
However, Chicago’s relationship with sneakers extends beyond fashion. It’s about the environment, the hustle and the code of the streets.
“We weren’t wearing boots in the winter; We were wearing gym shoes in the snow. That’s all we had. Before I had boots, I had Kangaroos with a little side pocket. That was the wave,” said Lacour, reflecting on his South Side upbringing.
Lacour shared that even gangs played a significant role in shaping and spreading Chicago’s street style. As members of groups like the GDs, BDs and Vice Lords moved throughout the Midwest, they brought the city’s distinct fashion with them, primarily through their footwear.
This underground movement helped lay the groundwork for what would later become mainstream sneaker culture, long before it was commercialized.
“You could tell where someone was from just by their kicks,” Jeff said. “On the South Side, if you had bucks with a little keyring on the back, you were probably from the Hundreds. If you had Zodiacs, that was Hyde Park. Your shoes told your story.”
When Michael Jordan hit the scene, the game shifted. Chicago, already a cultural hub, became the epicenter of sneaker obsession.
The Digital Shift
Today’s sneaker culture bears little resemblance to its early days.
With the rise of Instagram and online retailers, the hunt for rare or standout footwear has shifted from the streets to digital spaces.
Discovering new styles meant traveling, exploring different cities and seeing trends firsthand. Now, a single scroll can reveal what everyone is wearing, leading to less originality.
“Now, anyone with money can buy the heat. Back then? You had to earn it. It was a grind, standing in line, making connections, traveling. Jeff said that the hunt was part of the story, recalling chasing city-exclusive releases, like the LeBron Air Force 1 drop that required road-tripping to get a pair.
“We had to fight for those kicks. Now it’s a click button. Back then, it meant a lot to be that person with exclusives.”
From Hustle to Business
Photo Credit: Terence Crayton Photography
For Dave Jeff, the pivot to fashion entrepreneurship began at Tony Sports, a legendary Chicago streetwear shop.
“That’s where I learned the business,” he said. “We had influence, and I started seeing customers ask what we liked, what was next. Two seasons later, those styles would fall out of favor. That’s when I realized—we were the voice.”
Lacour’s path was more personal. He began designing shoes while incarcerated, using scraps and whatever he could find. After being released, he taught leatherwork at the Chicago School of Shoemaking and Leather Arts and eventually launched his brand.
“At first, I didn’t know the industry,” he said. “I was hand-making shoes and figuring it out. I took losses, wrong sizing and returns, but I cared. I learned.”
Beating the Odds
Photo Credit: Terence Crayton Photography
In addition to Lacour’s brand, Luxury Leather Goods, also has sweatshirts, and one he wore that evening, “Beat the Odds,” is more about purpose than the product. His mission? Liberation through style.
“Everything I do is about freeing Black people. Beat the Odds started as a conversation, and it stuck. Now it’s the brand. Because odds-makers don’t know us, they don’t understand our grit, our hunger. But we’re still here.”
His ambassadors reflect that philosophy and are Chicago changemakers. People like Robin Rue Simmons, who passed the first reparations bill in Evanston, and artist Tonika Lewis Johnson, who fights housing discrimination in Chicago.
“Look at this tee,” he said, pulling at his shirt. “It says: ‘Kill clones. Drown drones. Vandalize Tesla’s.’ It’s a statement. If we’re not free, fashion holds no meaning. Yes, my brand is indeed political. Always has been.”
Photo Credit: Terence Crayton Photography
What’s Next
For Dave Jeff, the future is focused on enhancement and legacy.
PHLI, the brand is on autopilot,” he said.
“Now, I want people to see me as a designer. Full capsule collections. More tailored work. And I’m still heavy in the community. I have bookbag drives and scholarships. If we’re activating million-dollar campaigns for brands, they can give back, too. That’s the mission.”
Lacour is heading back to his roots, literally.
“I’m returning to bags,” he said. “That was my first love. And I’m diving deeper into leather art. I even worked on a chair that’s now in the Smithsonian. That’s wild, going from prison to a museum.”
As the evening drew to a close, both men reflected on the advice they’d give their younger selves.
“The money isn’t that important,” Jeff said. “Now I’ve got a family, a home, a life I love. I’d have started building that balance sooner. But no regrets. I love the version of me I am now.”
“I missed a lot,” Lacour stated. “I was locked up over something that’s now legal. That time away from my family? That’s a cost I can’t repay. If I could go back, perhaps I’d have stayed in school. But again, no regrets. I’m here now, moving forward with purpose.”
Here are some more photos from the event courtesy of Terence Crayton Photography:
Photo Credit: Terence Crayton Photography
Photo Credit: Terence Crayton Photography
Photo Credit: Terence Crayton Photography
Photo Credit: Terence Crayton Photography
Photo Credit: Terence Crayton Photography