Kintsukuroi Sneaker Concept
Overview
With the “Kintsukuroi Sneaker” I strived to design a shoe concept for one of the most
impactful sneaker brands in hoop culture history, “AND 1”. I challenged myself to take their
classically bulky design language and transform it into something more elegant, all while
continuing to translate the brand ideals.
All about affordability, and attitude.
Push a high quality product that doesn’t break the bank.
Identifying with the added toughness, and swagger that all streetballer’s have.
Their brand athletes, and iconography share those same traits.
The Dunk That Changed Everything
Started in 1993 with 3 students selling t-shirts out of their car. In 1999 the “AND 1 Mixtape”
birthed a new style of sports media, subsequently redefined the basketball culture forever.
The brand was further launched when Vince Carter performed in the 2000 NBA dunk
contest wearing the AND 1 Tai Chi’s. This performance would go on to be
known as one of the greatest moments in basketball history.
Concept
“Kintsukuroi, is the centuries-old Japanese art of fixing broken pottery”.
With “golden lacquer”. This “method celebrates each artifact's unique history
by emphasizing its fractures and breaks instead of hiding or disguising them”.
The AND1 Kintsukuroi sneaker concept uses this rich idea of repairing something once broken, while emphasizing it’s history. This idea can easily be inserted into the culture of streetball. In which players wear their story on their sleeve and act in a spontaneously choreographed art.
The Kintsukuroi Sneaker
