Were you an artist before becoming a shoe designer?
I’ve always been an artist, I actually grew up as a graffiti artist. The art style on the bottom of the shoe is kind of a graffiti-based technique style.
Did you always want to get into fashion?
Not necessarily, I’ve always been what they call a ‘sneaker head,’ it just kind of came out of nowhere.
You’ve partnered with Soles4Souls. Tell us how that came about.
I was really excited about that because I like charitable events and being able to give back to people. I’ve done several things with them, but his was the first time we could do it on a bigger scale, so it was a cool opportunity to tie … in with them for the holiday season.
How important is it to give back to the community?
I believe it’s very important. Giving back is how you give appreciation for what you have.
What advice do you give to someone who wants to get in this business?
Local trade shows are good places to show ideas at an early stage and [get] feedback from actual people in the industry. Once you’ve [gotten] to the point where you’ve got your ideas sketched out, you can find someone to develop a couple of samples and [take them] to a trade show.
