Ein Schuh sagt mehr als tausend Worte

Nicht jeder Mensch kommt mit ausgereiftem Gestaltungstalent und Routine an Stift und Papier zur Welt. Wer auch mit Hersteller-Customizing-Diensten noch nicht so richtig das gefunden hat, was das Sneaker-Herz zum Ausdruck der eigenen Kreativität benötigt, möge sich sneakart.com einmal etwas genauer anschauen:

Neben vorgegebenen Patterns habt ihr u.a. die Möglichkeit, eigene Grafiken auf die von sneakart entwickelte sneakskin™ zu bringen und diese anschließend auf den Schuh eurer Wahl. Wir konnten Ollie von sneakart für ein kleines Interview gewinnen und für euch mal wieder eine kleine Verlosung.

Hi Ollie! First of all: What sneaker you currently wearing?

I got some Adi Forum Lo’s on right now. I bought them out in Hong Kong which I regularly visit to find unusual sneakers.

What is Sneakart?

Sneakart™ is a really easy way for anyone to personalise their sneakers using our printed sneakskin™ film without the worry of ever ruining them. Sneakskin™ is really durable but non-permanent so you can change the designs as often as you like. Because the graphics are printed, it’s possible to apply any kind of artwork to a sneaker – from highly intricate repeated patterns to photos of your pet monkey!

What inspired you to find this way of customizing?

I love what highly skilled customizers do with sneakers and I love the idea of being able to personalise off-the-shelf product. I’ve worked a long time in the sneaker design world and I’ve always been aware that there are alot of really creative people out there that share my passion. So the basic idea has been in my head for a while but I needed to find a process that worked really well for sneakers.

How does Sneakskin work?

It’s super simple really…just peel it off and stick it on! There are different ways of applying sneakskin™ depending on the type of look you want to go for. For quick and easy effects, you can use straight Stickers which don’t require any skill – or for ‚factory fresh effects’ you can use Pattern Sheet to cover entire panels.

Because sneakskin™ is flexible, it flexes with the shoe and won’t wrinkle when you wear it.

Does it work with every sneaker?

Sneakskin™ works with light coloured shoes made from full-grain real or synthetic leather. It won’t work so well with canvas or suede shoes. Best effects will be achieved on white sneakers but let’s face it, those aren’t hard to come by! Sneakskin™ looks wicked on loads of kinds of sneakers but
our favourites so far, are the Nike Dunk, Air Force 1, Blazer, Adidas Forums, Superstars, Stan Smith, Forest Hills, Puma Basket, First Round and Converse Chucks.

Is it possible to upload own patterns on your website?

Yeah ofcourse… as long as you follow our guide you can upload your own designs really easily. You can choose to keep your designs for yourself only or sell them to everyone through the website. That way, you can promote your style and, for every sale you make, you earn 10% in royalties.

What were some of the challenges you faced in creating this sneakskin?

We’ve made and tested so many different types of sneakskin™ you wouldn’t believe it! The biggest challenges were finding the best thickness of film with the right amount of flexibility and elasticity. Then there’s the glue – it needed to be strong enough to stay on the shoe when you wear it, but easy to remove and not damage the shoe when you want to change it. We’ve worked really hard to now have a film that works really well.

What background do you bring to starting a sneaker art company?

As a team, we’ve got years collective experience in sports lifestyle design. And most of that’s been spent designing sneakers and apparel at adidas or Puma in Germany. But more than that, we’re just real enthusiasts who are all now hooked on customizing our kicks without the fear of messing them up!

What’s next for Sneakskin?

Watch out, there’s loads to come.. We’re planning competitions to design sneakers and will be featuring the best designs on the site; we’ll be doing collaborations with well-known artists aswell as hook-ups with respected brands.

Going back in time for a minute, can you remember the first kicks you loved as a kid?

Definitely… back in the early-eighties there was a movement in the UK called the ‚Casuals’ which really influenced me. I remember having some Puma Meteors, Puma Napolis and later on some Puma Beckers – all tennis styles I think. But I don’t think I was a Puma-fan particularly as I can also remember having some plain blue nylon adidas around the same time. I didn’t get into Nike until a bit later on.

What’s your collection like now?

I don’t have alot of space to be able to show-off all my sneakers but I’ve got a pretty nice stash boxed-up in the attic. Alot of it is stuff I designed myself or unusual samples I picked up whilst working for the big brands. Amongst other things, I’ve got a pair of original‚ made in West Germany’ adidas from the seventies and some recent Schumacher motor racing styles from Puma.