Customizing your shoes is a great way to make them uniquely your own and sneaker enthusiasts having been doing it themselves for time. All you need is a blank canvas — aka a clean pair of sneakers — and some creativity to get started.
But if you’re too nervous to let your imagination go wild and need some guidance, there’s a free workshop you can attend in Toronto that’ll help you customize your kicks!
To kick off its first global shoe customization competition, Vans is hosting workshops across North America to encourage creative expression.
Dubbed Global Custom Culture, the contest invites those with an artistic flare to turn an iconic pair of Vans into a work of art. At the end of it all, three inners from North America, Asia Pacific, and Europe will win a massive grand prize.
Not only will the winners receive $25,000 USD, but they’ll have the opportunity to visit the Vans design headquarters in Southern California, have their shoes produced and sold by Vans, and partner with Vans to donate $100,000 USD to a charity that supports creative communities.
To encourage entrants, Vans is enlisting in the help of creative mentors to host workshops across the globe.
On Saturday, September 21, 2019, you can head to the Toronto Vans store on Yonge Street to get started on your own in a free workshop.
Artist James Gardner will be on site to help creators, artists, and fans through the process.
But if you can’t make it, you can still join to win! From now until September 29, visit custom-culture.vans.ca and sign-up for the competition. From there, you can download and print a stencil of a Vans shoe, design it, upload it, and see it come to life through 3D rendering technology.
The public will vote for the top 10 finalists from October 1 to 13.
Once they’re chosen, they’ll be given Era shoes to use as their canvas, and on December 5, the public will vote for their favourite again. The winner will be chosen December 19 — because finding out you’ve won $25,000 is the best holiday gift!