Creative Concept Projects
The projects showcased below are the creative musings from my love affair with sneaker culture and streetwear. Beginning in June 2021, and spanning through September 2021, I conceptualized and executed these projects as solo ventures in pure creative freedom. As someone completely enthralled by the streetwear aesthetic and the buzzy coolness of sneaker culture, these projects allowed me to enmesh these two adjacent worlds into culminating concept products.
Certified Lover Boy bomber jacket
Inspired by the unreleased bomber jacket from the Nike x Drake "Certified Lover Boy" collaboration, I decided to recreate the jacket entirely from scratch. The idea was initially presented to me as a challenge by a co-worker; and challenging though it was, it pushed me to problem solve in ways beyond my formal training in college. After reverse engineering a thrifted puffer jacket into functional pattern pieces, I recreated the iconic quilted heart pattern through an original method. In a multi-step process, I began by sewing a layer of batting between two layers of cotton twill, and then, I created heart templates and pinned them individually onto each component of the jacket in order to recreate the placement of the heart pattern. Altogether, it took me about two weeks to cut three fabric layers, sew the layers into the quilted fabric, and complete the construction of the actual jacket.
"Politics" concept merch tee
Inspired by the rising sneaker-dealing powerhouse, Politics, and Nike's highly coveted LD Waffle collaboration with sacai and Fragment, I conceptualized a tee shirt that reflected both the Politics brand image and the LD Waffle shoe. Starting with a simple navy tee shirt, I incorporated black mesh and white faux suede fabrics to mimic the original fabrics within the sneaker. I layered the black mesh underneath a custom made white faux suede "P" that Politics utilizes as a sort of store logo on much of their merchandise. The intention behind the project was to further explore the relationship between sneakers, sneaker retailers, and the potential future of sneaker-related apparel.
StrangeLove Loungewear
One of my more favorite projects, this mini collection of loungewear was inspired by the iconic StrangeLove and Nike collaboration. Nike and StrangeLove's low dunk sneakers utilized the rich textures of suede and crushed velvet, which perfectly lent themselves to the casual comfort of loungewear. In order to best translate the elements of the dunks into apparel, I sourced both traditional and crushed velvet, as well as following the original color scheme.
Two out of the four designs were original patterns, which included the crushed velvet halter top and the tie-up track pants. The track pants were the most stand-out piece, as they incorporated the most innovation in design technique, with the lace-up, open sides and shoelace trim components. The inclusion of shoelaces as ties throughout the collection was an added nod and reference to the original sneakers, as well as solving a functional design aspect. As an aside, I banged in a whopping 76 grommets between the two side seams of the track pants.
Off-White x Nike "Presto" men's joggers
As the initial inspiration for this creative stint, the Nike x Off-White Air Presto collaboration was the catalyst of my foray into sneaker-apparel-crossover-mania. And in considering sneaker culture to be so aligned with streetwear, I opted to reach the primary demographic through a pair of cargo joggers. This was another reverse engineering project, as I recycled an old pair of joggers in order to develop a working pattern to create this iteration of the joggers. To best replicate the sneaker fabrication, I lined the bright white knit mesh to imitate the mesh sneaker, while still allowing the joggers to be functional. The bright pops of orange reflect the subtle detail of the original orange shoelaces. As well, I forwent the traditional "Air" written on the sneaker, and instead, opted to apply the word "Pants" to invoke the same sense of humor.
Nike x Travis Scott bucket hat and sweatshorts
Taking inspiration from one of the many Nike and Travis Scott collaborations, I chose the low dunks for their patchwork patterning and subdued color palette as the framework for a quirky bucket hat, and later, upcycled sweatshorts. Between the bandana and plaid prints, smooth beige suede, mixed with the addition of the macramé cord shoelaces, I felt that a bucket hat would serve as the perfect medium to reflect the artful mish-mash. As such, I created a reversible bucket hat that captured a different patchwork combination on each side, with the addition of macramé cords strung through grommets to be used as ties. The upcycled sweatshorts were a bit of an afterthought; however, I believe they perfectly complimented the hat with their simple bandana insets and iconic Nike check applique.
