Footwear
I spent a lot of time in my own world as a kid, letting my imagination/creativity lead the way. Colors sparked emotions, shapes inspired ideas and patterns would tell stories; fueling the creations I would whip up, from cartoon/movie characters, to sketches of the Titanic and my favorite shoes. My ability to create turned into an outlet that impacted my adolescence in a way that saved me; and in the seventh grade, enabled me to start selling shoe drawings to my peers for 25 cents. From there, my appetite grew into forming a global footwear customization business called GroundBreaker Customs at the age of 17; which has since evolved into a larger, multifaceted brand, called "723". As an homage to humble beginnings, 723 is the "GBC" acronym of GroundBreaker Customs, in numeric form.
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GroundBreaker Customs Logo (2010)
723 logo (2024
Through independent product creation, I've been blessed to either design for, endorsed by, and/or work alongside:
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adidas
Nike
Wells Fargo
Marquette University Men's Basketball
MKBHD
ESPN
Microsoft
Reebok
Millenial Magazine
TOMS
Motorized Precision
And many more.
Utilizing my understanding of color theory as well as material, accessory and industrial design- I focus on innovation and attention to detail in producing custom work. . Customization represents one of the many outlets I utilize in efforts to express myself, tell a story and raise awareness for several meaningful causes, while giving clients something they can take pride in as they receive the only pair of its kind in the world.
Metastatic Breast Cancer Research
Custom Nike Air Force 1 - (2024)
I made these custom Nike Air Force 1’s with metastatic breast cancer awareness in mind, and the colors/materials chosen reflect that very cause.
Colors
Cork
Pacific
Phontel
To begin, I built a color palette inspired by METAvivor's teal, green and pink MBC ribbon, selecting 6 unique hex codes and naming the colors “cork” tan, “pacific” blue, “phontel” green, “vera” pink, “heart” red and “canvas” white.
These colors don’t quite fit into a solely analogous, complimentary, monochromatic or triadic color scheme; but I chose them because their psychology aligns with the journey of surviving cancer, and cancer doesn’t play by the rules.
Among others, “cork” brings out the feelings of durability, calmness and reassurance; “pacific” the feelings of stress relief, clarity and stability; “phontel” translates to renewal, energy and abundance; “vera” brings the feelings of strength, healing and comfort to mind; “heart” evokes the thought of confidence, courage and attention; and “canvas” carries with it the feelings of simplicity, optimism and new beginnings.
Vera
Heart
Canvas
Materials
The materials chosen for this pair were just as intentional and substantial as the colors. Starting from the bottom, the “canvas” white rubber sole acts as a metaphor for a canvas to be painted on; with the medium of dirt, mud and scuffing; a parallel to the experiences of a breast cancer survivor. As these shoes are worn, the white midsoles will be painted by each encounter with the earth’s elements. Each blemish will tell a story, like the events, challenges and changes that a survivor will come to face throughout their diagnosis. The midsole sits atop a “cork” tan outsole, acting as the stable easel; and representing the survivor’s durability, reassurance & foundation. Together, the outsole and midsole house an upper that is comprised of a natural Portuguese oak bark/cotton bonded cork, polypropylene canvas, 1000 denier cordura nylon, Lambskin leather and reflective polyester.
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Cork is noticeably the main material I used this time around; a contrast to the pink patent leather/carbon fiber vinyl combination from 2023. It appears across the majority of each shoe as a metaphor for beating breast cancer, becoming a “champion” and celebrating by popping a champagne bottle.​​
The polypropylene canvas is a biodegradable material that, while still made from plastic, is recyclable, nontoxic and more sustainable than most plastics. It’s also stain, mold, mildew, water and UV-resistant (1000 hour tested); which led me to select it as a symbol for longevity and resilience.
Cordura nylon not only shares the same resistant properties as the polypropylene canvas, but it’s also abrasion resistant as well as sustainable; being made with 100% recycled pre-consumer waste materials.
Carrying over from 2023’s prototype, I used retroreflective polyester again as a call to action. It serves as a reminder for men and women to ‘shine a light’ on themselves, by routinely checking for breast cancer symptoms; a parallel to how illuminating a retroreflective material can be once introduced to a light source. The perforations in the vamp and quarter panels are underlaid with a heat transferred chrome vinyl for that same reason, reminiscent of a mirror.
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Metal accents, such as the custom gold dubrae, 3 and 4mm gold eyelets and METAvivor’s MBC ribbon pin (which you can order here- and I will not receive a commission) were added to accent the cork and overall theme of being a champion.
My favorite element of this pair was also carried over from 2023’s prototype, with the red stitching at the base of the eyestay resembling the heart and pulse rate from an electrocardiogram (ECG) monitor. The red shoelaces are a metaphor for continuous life and blood flow to and from the heart; traveling through each eyelet like veins throughout the body.
