Sneaker Culture 36
LUCKBOX LEANS IN WITH
CHRIS LAW
ON THE ART OF F O O T W E A R D E S I G N AND THE IMPORTANCE OF CREATING WITH PASSION By Kendall Polidori AS A CHILD, CHRIS LAW BECAME FASCINATED WITH THE HIP-HOP CULTURE OF THE BRONX EVEN THOUGH HE GREW UP 3,400 MILES AWAY IN BEDFORD, ENGLAND.
From afar, he witnessed hiphop’s coming of age in the ’80s by immersing himself in the music, art and fashion. One aspect of the scene left a particularly profound impression. To him, the sneakers he saw in images from across the sea seemed like more than just footwear. So, he combined his passion for sneakers with his love of graphic arts to forge a career as one of the world’s preeminent self-taught shoe designers. Along the way, he helped transform sneakers from gym shoes to fashion statements. Law, who’s worked with Adidas, Nike, Vans, Converse and Clarks— just to name a few—notes that hip-hop album covers fueled the enthusiasm he brought to his work. His inspirations include the covers for The Rock Steady Crew’s Uprock, designed by member Doze Green, and Afrika Bambaataa and the Soulsonic Force’s Renegades of Funk!, designed by comic book artist Bob Camp. The influence of those covers is reflected in Law’s work. In one example, he recreated the Adidas Superstar from the Uprock era. Law sat down with Luckbox to discuss his journey and accomplishments in footwear design. He even shared his secret for success: passion.
Luckbox | March 2022
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1/27/22 4:44 PM
