RE VAMP 01 | ISSUE
THE NEW WAVE Destroy something, build it back up, make it better. Those are words to live by when it comes to the proverbial Internet-driven sneaker definition of customization. To say we’ve come a long way from the days of tinkering with just the colors or the sides of sneakers would be an understatement. The whole industry of customizing shoes has managed to turn the corner and find a home in the hearts of consumers and creatives alike. They are a work of art and often better than what’s on the shelves. Many hours are spent prepping, painting, sewing, and gluing leather, suede, and rubber so that someone can wear (or collect) a pair that they know they won’t see in someone else’s stacks. Even a limited run of 10 is better than being one out of thousands. And for those who don’t care about the exclusivity, having something made especially for you still feels better than being an average consumer. Re-vamp was made exclusively for the undeniably talented people behind the customs. In each issue we will showcase individual artist and will look behind the scene as to why the got into customizing sneakers.
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What does it take?
A Step-By-Step Gui
The most important part of any custom job is the prep work! You can have an awesome paintjob, but if the shoe wasn’t prepped properly, those hours you spent creating is going to be a waste when it cracks and peels after the first time wearing them. The key is to strip off the factory coating on the shoe, so the paint will bond with the leather properly. Soak your cotton balls with acetone and rub that coating off the leather. Go ahead and run your finger over the surface, if it’s still smooth, the factory coat is still not completely off; it should be very grippy. This process alone can take between 30-40 minutes.
The factory coating is off, now it’s time to mask the shoes. Masking the shoes is essential for a clean custom. There are lots of types of tape you can use Scotch “soft” masking tape is one of the most preferred due to its ability to be applied to paint 24 hours after the first painting and it will not peel off the paint. Cover all the areas that you don’t want to get paint on, then use an X-Acto knife and cut along the edges so you will have clean lines.” It is a tedious process, as you will need to tear and apply tape for hours sometimes, just to reapply to different sections after the first round of paint. 4 | REVAMP
ide to Sneaker Customization. Materials
Acetone - Cotton balls - Various Brushes - Leather Paint - Tape - Acrylic Finisher - Airbrush - Heat Gun
Once the shoes are completely masked to your liking, it’s time to paint. Start by mixing colors, you will rarely use colors straight from the bottle as it’s never an exact match. This is just trial and error, the more you do this the better you will get. When applying paint, always paint in light, thin layers to avoid streaks and looking like it’s painted. Some colors aren’t as opaque as others. You may need more coats to achieve an even finish like red or yellow. Just make sure the layer dries before applying the next coat. You can use the airbrush to speed up your paint and heat gun to speed up the drying process.
You’re finally done painting, are you done with the custom? Not yet, remember that factory finish that we removed? Well we need to recreate that finish to seal the custom. Before you start, make sure the paint is completely dry; a heat gun would be optimal for this process. Even though most leather paint is made to hold up to the elements, it would be best to use a finisher to seal the deal. A preference for most is Krylon Matte finisher; spray even light coats over the shoe and let that air dry.
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The year is 2018, and BAPE is one of the most hyped brands in streetwear. When you first discover this culture and start doing your history research, Nigo’s label, aka A Bathing Ape, is in Chapter One.
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Artist of the Week Daniel Gamache
About Gamache Growing up in Poughkeepsie, NY Dan Gamache was constantly surrounded by art. His late Grandmother, Aileen, was an art teacher and loved drawing, a passion and a talent which he inherited. When Dan wasn’t playing baseball, he was in his Grandmother’s studio sketching his own sneaker designs and copying portraits out of “Slam” magazine. Years later, Dan went on to play Baseball on a scholarship and major in fine arts at the College of Saint Rose in NY, never losing his passion for art or his love of sneakers. By the summer of 2004 Dan became disenchanted with the designs and colorways that major brands were putting out.
Curious to see if he could do better, he decided to customize his own pair of sneakers. After slathering different shades of purple on a pair of beat up Air Max 90s in his basement, the first pair of custom kicks were created and Mache Custom Kicks was born. Mache (pronounced “MOSH”) as he is now called, practiced effortlessly to perfect his craft and build his brand. Through communication with fellow customizers and pure trial and error Mache started to create a niche for himself in the once thought of “Underground” genre called sneaker customizing. 7 | REVAMP