PROFILES IN E XCELLENCE LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT
Defying the Odds Dr. D’Wayne Edwards, legendary sneaker designer, founder of the Pensole Design Academy and now president of the new Pensole Lewis College of Business & Design, has broken down barriers and blazed a trail every step of his career— while always sporting the freshest kicks! By Greg Dutter begin creating their own sneaker designer legacies. DR. D’WAYNE EDWARDS is a statistical anomaly How’s that for a Hollywood ending? of Powerball proportions. For starters, the odds of But Edwards’ incredible career story is still unfoldsurviving past his 18th birthday in what was then ing. The latest chapter will have far-reaching and the murder capital of America—Inglewood, CA in lasting impacts in the worlds of footwear, apparel, the ’80s —were against him. His odds of living to see packaging and furniture design. That’s because 25 decreased—while the odds of winding up in jail Edwards’ Portland, OR-based Pensole Design increased—with each passing year. The odds of attendAcademy decided to go to college. Last fall, Edwards, ing college (he didn’t), let alone becoming a president along with co-founding partners the Gilbert Family of one (he is) were astronomically low. The odds that Foundation and Target, petitioned Michigan to Edwards would become one of three sneaker designers become the newly formed Pensole Lewis College in history to have at least one of their designs on sale of Business & Design (PLC) in partnership with at Foot Locker for 30 years running were longer than the College for Creative Studies (CCS). In doing getting struck by lightning on a sunny day. Edwards, a so, the Detroit-based institution has reopened the McDonald’s employee during his teen years, probably state’s sole HBCU (Historically Black Colleges and had better odds of winning its Monopoly game (reportUniversities) with a new name and vision. The edly one in 451,822,158) than of achieving all that he school, the first HBCU to focus on design, will offer has accomplished in his remarkable career. free tuition to a majority of students, supporting Edwards’ career story reads like a Hollywood script. people of color who are creatives, designers, engiPoor kid lives out his childhood dreams to become neers and business leaders. The school is also the head sneaker designer for the pinnacle of athletic Dr. D’Wayne Edwards first mothballed HBCU in the country to officially brands (Jordan) through determination, talent, pasreopen. Plans include building a new campus and sion and a dash of sneaker fate—thanks to LA Gear expanding degree programs. and Skechers Founder Robert Greenberg, who gives him his big break. (More There’s more. Last month, DBI, parent company of DSW, announced it is on that later.) Hip hop legends Biggie Smalls, Tupac Shakur and Snoop Dogg partnering with PLC on the opening of JEMS by Pensole, the first Black-owned wear his creations, as do sports heroes Derek Jeter, Carmelo Anthony and Roy U.S. footwear factory. The $2 million investment will produce shoes designed Jones, Jr. Edwards even designs the equestrian boot worn during a U.S. gold by PLC graduates and will be sold exclusively at DSW. medal performance at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing. All this because a poor kid in Inglewood absolutely loved sneakers. That’s But that’s just part one of this epic, sneaker-laced biography. The second half where Edwards’ story begins—one truly made for Hollywood. of Edwards’ career is a pay it back/pay it forward story sure to keep audiences riveted. Once again, it defies all odds as it sets in motion a transformation of the SCENE 1: THE ORIGINAL SNEAKERHEAD entire footwear and design industries. In this heroic true tale, Edwards walks All Edwards ever dreamed about as a kid was to become a sneaker away from his 10-year reign as Design Director of Jordan Brand to launch an designer. He started sketching kicks in middle school and, by high academy aimed at teaching the art of sneaker design to people of color—for school, he was stopping into local hardware and shoe repair shops free. His Pensole Design Academy quickly gains the support of leading sneaker regularly to pick up the early tools of his trade to customize his sneakers—an companies like Adidas, New Balance and Nike, which fund bootcamp-like, exacto knife, duct tape and dye. Soon he was customizing kicks for his baskettwo-week design programs as a way to bring long-overdue diversity to their ball teammates and other kids at school. “That became my little side hustle, workforces. Soon after, art schools reach out to partner with Pensole. Edwards, but it really started because I had to be different than everybody else,” he says. who couldn’t afford to attend college, soon finds himself leading classes at “I still have the same problem to this day: My fear is walking into a room and the top product design school in the country (ArtCenter College of Design in someone has the same pair of shoes on as I do.” Pasadena, CA), the number-one fashion institution (New York’s Parsons School At age 17, Edwards even won a sneaker design competition sponsored by of Design), and one of the world’s top engineering schools (Massachusetts Reebok—only to be told to come back in four years after he earned a design Institute of Technology). Along the way, a steady stream of Pensole graduates
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