-When did you get interested in trainers?
I was at school in the early '90s when we all started clocking the culture. Everyone started boasting about their crepes, and when it came to work experience, we all wanted to work in JD or Olympus sports on Oxford Street. In my school it was all about Champions, Jordans, Ewings and Filas. Let's face facts - If you didn't have the most banging sneaks you were considered loser. And being a loser was a 50% contribution to getting beat up every day. I had these Converse Aero Jam's which had just been released - they were the colour of the Charlotte Hornets' black and turquoise with a gel unit in the sole and a separate unit that came off and covered the laces. There was a strap on either side, I customized them when I was at school in 1993. All I did was sew a piece of denim on to the removable lace cover.
Now I've collected, like 80 pairs of sneakers so I'm not the biggest sneaker head. I'm just fortunate enough to acquire stuff I really like, and working in this environment at dpmhi and in the past at Size?, it becomes your life and you just keep picking things up and accumulating...
I was at school in the early '90s when we all started clocking the culture. Everyone started boasting about their crepes, and when it came to work experience, we all wanted to work in JD or Olympus sports on Oxford Street. In my school it was all about Champions, Jordans, Ewings and Filas. Let's face facts - If you didn't have the most banging sneaks you were considered loser. And being a loser was a 50% contribution to getting beat up every day. I had these Converse Aero Jam's which had just been released - they were the colour of the Charlotte Hornets' black and turquoise with a gel unit in the sole and a separate unit that came off and covered the laces. There was a strap on either side, I customized them when I was at school in 1993. All I did was sew a piece of denim on to the removable lace cover.
Now I've collected, like 80 pairs of sneakers so I'm not the biggest sneaker head. I'm just fortunate enough to acquire stuff I really like, and working in this environment at dpmhi and in the past at Size?, it becomes your life and you just keep picking things up and accumulating...
-Where did the creativity come from?
My mum is a fashion designer. I came from a creative background and would help her out. I think that's what sparked my creativity. In the time between leaving school and starting my customization I took an interest in classic car restoration and by taking a year course in restoring classic cars; I learnt the basics in panel fabrication, car paintwork and welding. By doing this, I discovered my interest in design, visual aesthetics and the practicality of things. Also how to alter things I like to make them look different, and to my eye more pleasing. I'm not a great fan of formal footwear, shoes and boots etc. I like the moccasin feature on shoes a lot though, but the rest of the shoe always tends to have something I don't like. I don't like hard soles, unpadded interiors, classic shape designs whereas sneakers tend to have cushioned interiors, scientifically designed to your foot and have no boundaries when it comes to design, colour and materials. I find them more aesthetically pleasing. My concept pretty much caters for both these markets and brings them together as the premium sneaker with a moccasin stitch allows the sneaker to have more of a shoe look and maybe break the boundaries of the formal footwear market.
-What shoes have you customized so far?
The first serious customization came from my friend Alister. We worked together at Size? and he did 150 pairs of custom AF1's/Dunks for them, with a sprayed bamboo pattern, which he did at my house. I was like, "Can you swing me a pair?" and he said, "Do your own pair'… so I did! They were real tree camo AF1's and I used a waterproof outfit which was made of real tree camo print and basically cut out the panels of the shoe and stuck it in. They looked really good but didn't wear very well, them days I was using household glues.
I started off working on some AF1's. It seemed like everyone was customizing them, because you can get them in white on white so they were like a blank canvas to paint on. For stitching, it was quite simple because it's not like a new school shoe where they're glued together and it's got this high-tech stitching, it's pretty basic and is something that could be modified into a shoe-style sneaker. I did a couple more AF1's and one of the theories on the stitching being moccasin is that it looks like a shoe, so I got a premium Delta, added tan stitching on the brown leather and then I added Bison/Paul Brown hemp Vandal straps. I wanted to keep it simple so it would look like a shoe/sneaker hybrid. Since then I've done a couple more AF1's, another Delta, a Mowabb and a pair of Jordan IV's in white with brown moc stitch and brown tone speckled detailing.
My mum is a fashion designer. I came from a creative background and would help her out. I think that's what sparked my creativity. In the time between leaving school and starting my customization I took an interest in classic car restoration and by taking a year course in restoring classic cars; I learnt the basics in panel fabrication, car paintwork and welding. By doing this, I discovered my interest in design, visual aesthetics and the practicality of things. Also how to alter things I like to make them look different, and to my eye more pleasing. I'm not a great fan of formal footwear, shoes and boots etc. I like the moccasin feature on shoes a lot though, but the rest of the shoe always tends to have something I don't like. I don't like hard soles, unpadded interiors, classic shape designs whereas sneakers tend to have cushioned interiors, scientifically designed to your foot and have no boundaries when it comes to design, colour and materials. I find them more aesthetically pleasing. My concept pretty much caters for both these markets and brings them together as the premium sneaker with a moccasin stitch allows the sneaker to have more of a shoe look and maybe break the boundaries of the formal footwear market.
-What shoes have you customized so far?
The first serious customization came from my friend Alister. We worked together at Size? and he did 150 pairs of custom AF1's/Dunks for them, with a sprayed bamboo pattern, which he did at my house. I was like, "Can you swing me a pair?" and he said, "Do your own pair'… so I did! They were real tree camo AF1's and I used a waterproof outfit which was made of real tree camo print and basically cut out the panels of the shoe and stuck it in. They looked really good but didn't wear very well, them days I was using household glues.
I started off working on some AF1's. It seemed like everyone was customizing them, because you can get them in white on white so they were like a blank canvas to paint on. For stitching, it was quite simple because it's not like a new school shoe where they're glued together and it's got this high-tech stitching, it's pretty basic and is something that could be modified into a shoe-style sneaker. I did a couple more AF1's and one of the theories on the stitching being moccasin is that it looks like a shoe, so I got a premium Delta, added tan stitching on the brown leather and then I added Bison/Paul Brown hemp Vandal straps. I wanted to keep it simple so it would look like a shoe/sneaker hybrid. Since then I've done a couple more AF1's, another Delta, a Mowabb and a pair of Jordan IV's in white with brown moc stitch and brown tone speckled detailing.
-You entered the Sneaker Freaker Customization competition, right?
Yeah September '04 and I had just finished my first stitch moccasin customs which was perfect timing as Sneaker Freaker were just about to close entries to their worldwide sneaker comp. I made the top ten, with the results published in the magazine. I was disappointed with the result, as I wanted first place. But I understood that I could not just rely on just the clean moccasin stitch and the midsole check re-stitch to make an overall crazy nice custom. I knew that I had to perfect my fabric application and work on my painting skills to fully take my customs to a new level of craziness.
Yeah September '04 and I had just finished my first stitch moccasin customs which was perfect timing as Sneaker Freaker were just about to close entries to their worldwide sneaker comp. I made the top ten, with the results published in the magazine. I was disappointed with the result, as I wanted first place. But I understood that I could not just rely on just the clean moccasin stitch and the midsole check re-stitch to make an overall crazy nice custom. I knew that I had to perfect my fabric application and work on my painting skills to fully take my customs to a new level of craziness.
-That leads nicely onto the Zoltar custom. How did that come about?
A guy called Dustin who works for Zoltar comes into the dpmhi store quite often; he saw my article in the Sneaker Freaker magazine and he hooked me up with Dan Macmillan
With the Zoltar Jordan IV's, It's like where I am at now with customization. You're seeing the evolution of all my shoes. The first shoe I did which was in Sneaker Freaker magazine, I glorified the whole stitching thing, and I had one mad effect and it was a different approach to all the others, after that I realized why I didn't make number one - I had to refine all the other techniques. You can't just have one.
So in the evolution of all my customs I've learnt new skills and I've put them all into this one shoe. I've stitched in the panels, the check midsole stitching, moccasin stitch, and the paintwork. It's painstaking. I use a scalpel and whenever I start a new shoe I use a new blade. The first stage is to take the toe panel apart without cutting the leather, once I've done that I do the Moccasin stitch which can take anywhere between 12 to 16 hours a pair. Then I do the paintwork. With each part, I don't want to mess up. Just imagine putting 20 hours work into the shoe and then fucking it up to the extent that you have to start again. Not a good thought.
A guy called Dustin who works for Zoltar comes into the dpmhi store quite often; he saw my article in the Sneaker Freaker magazine and he hooked me up with Dan Macmillan
With the Zoltar Jordan IV's, It's like where I am at now with customization. You're seeing the evolution of all my shoes. The first shoe I did which was in Sneaker Freaker magazine, I glorified the whole stitching thing, and I had one mad effect and it was a different approach to all the others, after that I realized why I didn't make number one - I had to refine all the other techniques. You can't just have one.
So in the evolution of all my customs I've learnt new skills and I've put them all into this one shoe. I've stitched in the panels, the check midsole stitching, moccasin stitch, and the paintwork. It's painstaking. I use a scalpel and whenever I start a new shoe I use a new blade. The first stage is to take the toe panel apart without cutting the leather, once I've done that I do the Moccasin stitch which can take anywhere between 12 to 16 hours a pair. Then I do the paintwork. With each part, I don't want to mess up. Just imagine putting 20 hours work into the shoe and then fucking it up to the extent that you have to start again. Not a good thought.
Zoltar gave me some fabric samples and I had planned to take the fabric off the back of the mesh on the Jordan and replace it with the Zoltar fabric, but I couldn't because it was fully glued on. So I decided toreplace the panel completely with the Zoltar graphics. I worked on the tongue and realized that I had to take the whole tongue out and having to put it back in without it being wonky - that was nerve-racking. I had to get latex and paint around the Jumpman and sand it then spray it with the pink and green speckles. The last feature was spraying Chanel Antaeus in the shoes, just to give it that dapper box fresh smell.
That was the first commission piece that had properly materialized. I've had a few people that have wanted to do a shoe with me, but Zoltar seemed really enthusiastic about it and were giving me feedback all theway. To be honest, all the graphics on the shoe were produced by them. All I did was choose which images I wanted to use and where I would use them, but it's great though, I don't think it would have been something that I did of my own accord - I think it's going to be part of a campaign.
I'd admire Dan if he wears them….although I'll cry. Hope Dan deals with the situation accordingly if someone steps on them though. It took me time to make, I did it over a period of a few months but it's probably a weeks work solid.
That was the first commission piece that had properly materialized. I've had a few people that have wanted to do a shoe with me, but Zoltar seemed really enthusiastic about it and were giving me feedback all theway. To be honest, all the graphics on the shoe were produced by them. All I did was choose which images I wanted to use and where I would use them, but it's great though, I don't think it would have been something that I did of my own accord - I think it's going to be part of a campaign.
I'd admire Dan if he wears them….although I'll cry. Hope Dan deals with the situation accordingly if someone steps on them though. It took me time to make, I did it over a period of a few months but it's probably a weeks work solid.
-Rumors has it you're doing something for Lupe Fiasco, is that true?
He's a king dude, I made a pair of Jordan IV's for my friend Theo who runs Niketown London and he met up with Lupe at the London Nike ID. Lupe told him about some guys from Singapore doing some customs for him so Theo said to him, ‘"If you like customs, go check my boy Nash at the dpmhi store". We met and got on really well and it just so happens that the three of us share the same birthday, which is weird! He's really into his shoes/clothing and represents the scene honestly. I'm definitely going to do something for him, and I'm just battling to come up with something that is going to kill it in the same way I feel the Zoltar customs have done.
-How has the reaction been so far - you went to NYC recently, right?
Funny you mention that as I went to NY to help my good friend Alister AKA Alist set up his show at Jeff Staple's store - Reed Space. We both worked at Size? a few years back trying to make something of our lives and are both doing pretty well for ourselves now with Alister getting his work out there and getting recognized for it and me working at dpmhi and getting established for what I do.
I didn't really push my shoe that much in NY, if at all. I'm proud of what I do, but it sort of sells itself. I think it's nicer for people to know me for who I am, not "Nash, the dude that's always banging on about his customs'". If it happens to come up in a conversation or if I meet someone I would love to work with, I'll talk about my thing. I'm just keen to work with good people, someone that can add something whether it is patterns on fabric or their own personal artwork.
He's a king dude, I made a pair of Jordan IV's for my friend Theo who runs Niketown London and he met up with Lupe at the London Nike ID. Lupe told him about some guys from Singapore doing some customs for him so Theo said to him, ‘"If you like customs, go check my boy Nash at the dpmhi store". We met and got on really well and it just so happens that the three of us share the same birthday, which is weird! He's really into his shoes/clothing and represents the scene honestly. I'm definitely going to do something for him, and I'm just battling to come up with something that is going to kill it in the same way I feel the Zoltar customs have done.
-How has the reaction been so far - you went to NYC recently, right?
Funny you mention that as I went to NY to help my good friend Alister AKA Alist set up his show at Jeff Staple's store - Reed Space. We both worked at Size? a few years back trying to make something of our lives and are both doing pretty well for ourselves now with Alister getting his work out there and getting recognized for it and me working at dpmhi and getting established for what I do.
I didn't really push my shoe that much in NY, if at all. I'm proud of what I do, but it sort of sells itself. I think it's nicer for people to know me for who I am, not "Nash, the dude that's always banging on about his customs'". If it happens to come up in a conversation or if I meet someone I would love to work with, I'll talk about my thing. I'm just keen to work with good people, someone that can add something whether it is patterns on fabric or their own personal artwork.
-What's next for Nash?
Well, I'd like to think with all the custom work I've done so far and the good feedback I've had that I'll eventually get the opportunity to realize my own potential in footwear design and go on from there. I have loads of good ideas that could take me in any direction whether it's toys, clothing, footwear or just design in general, so I guess I'm just taking it day by day for now.
-You got any shout outs you want to give out?
Yes. First and foremost to Alist (enterthealist.com), Piaf (Eduardo from Search magazine in Portugal) and Duncan (dpmhi store) for being dope good buddies.
Then thanks to the people that have helped rep my work- Woody from Sneaker Freaker, Hardy and Damian dpmhi.com/maharishi, obviously the Zoltar lads - Dan, Dustin, Giles and Kieran for giving me the opportunity to make a crazy custom with them, Theo (who runs Niketown London), Fred and Michael from Star Cow in Paris, Kevin Couliau from Tyler magazine France and all the people at CT that helped put this together, especially Amazing Grace.
And last, but not least a big holla to Lupe the 3rd. Buy his album!
Well, I'd like to think with all the custom work I've done so far and the good feedback I've had that I'll eventually get the opportunity to realize my own potential in footwear design and go on from there. I have loads of good ideas that could take me in any direction whether it's toys, clothing, footwear or just design in general, so I guess I'm just taking it day by day for now.
-You got any shout outs you want to give out?
Yes. First and foremost to Alist (enterthealist.com), Piaf (Eduardo from Search magazine in Portugal) and Duncan (dpmhi store) for being dope good buddies.
Then thanks to the people that have helped rep my work- Woody from Sneaker Freaker, Hardy and Damian dpmhi.com/maharishi, obviously the Zoltar lads - Dan, Dustin, Giles and Kieran for giving me the opportunity to make a crazy custom with them, Theo (who runs Niketown London), Fred and Michael from Star Cow in Paris, Kevin Couliau from Tyler magazine France and all the people at CT that helped put this together, especially Amazing Grace.
And last, but not least a big holla to Lupe the 3rd. Buy his album!
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