A Q&A With One Of The Voices Of Custom Sneakers: Starline Customs

Walk me through your design process and how you find inspiration for your custom sneakers.

I don’t really have a design process, not a planned one — fortunately it unfolds when I begin working, have a coffee, listen to music, and just painting without thinking helps me to avoid wasting time mulling over a multitude of ideas. That seems to help the process along otherwise I just get too OCD.

If it’s something very specific then I tend to just freehand it in from random pictures the client sends over.

With the more expensive items I map it out on paper first, trace in details and do a lot of taping, prepping etc. and go from there, however, I’ve found it just flows smoothly when I’m given the creative freedom to go for it and work it out as I go along.

Unconsciously almost, like predictive writing or something it all just become one, me, the art and a concentration that keeps me up until the birds are singing.

Which sneaker customizers do you follow?

I try to avoid anybody else’s work or customizers for inspiration because too many of our ideas aren’t “our ideas.”

There’s too many moments in our timelines that forge in our minds these ideas and opinions that we think we are right and our own, yet they’ll be completely contrary to what someone else believes and it’s all based on our environment and what we consume.

Hence, how two people can look at the exact same piece of art and see something completely different because of their imagination and the context they have given the art.

Basically I know it’s nearly impossible to avoid external influences but I want to try and believe it’s my own ideas I’m putting out there and if I avoid other artists’ content, then maybe what is born through my craft will be that much more original.

How would you describe what makes Starline Customs special to a desired customer?

My missus (wife) is a digital marketing agent so that helps, but mostly it’s sells its self.

Basically not a lot of people can paint something in to reality from nothing so it’s already a spectacle to behold when you see it, I guess.

I don’t know because I can paint, but I’m fascinated by things I don’t understand or can’t replicate if I tried, like singing — how some peoples’ diaphragms vibrate differently to others and they make beautiful sounds and they can control the sounds, break a glass with their powerful frequency’s or help a child drift off to sleep, that’s crazy!

It’s fascinating because I can’t sing so I guess the same applies to what I do to people that can’t paint.

So it kind of sells it’s self, providing I film it, chop it up so people see the cool bits first etc., as attention spans are short these days.

Other than that, it’s no more special than anything else really, I’m just good at it and I pride my self on perfection and it appeals to people that like art and sneakers, and luxury goods.

What advice would you give to a first time customizer? What advice should they ignore?

It really is general advice because I’m not even close to where I want to be but then I don’t want to put it out in to the universe before I achieve it if that makes sense, I just know it will happen.

And that’s the thing, you’ve just gotta trust your self even on the worst days that it will work out.

Be optimistic because it can be tough if you’re an artist of late with so much competition and the direction society had gone.

If this was the 13th century, fine artists would be killing it but it’s not as appreciated today, people want simple, quick, cheap things with status, like Louis Vuitton painted on a shoe or something fashionable — you want quick money then go down that route, simple, branded stuff.

If you want to make an impact on a deeper emotional level then be sure to reflect society in your art, but from a objective standpoint, like an observer, nothing is good or bad, it just is what it is and you’re a conduit in a way, I think then you’ll attract a lot of attention from all walks of life…

Connect with the customer and find out everything you can about them to make sure you make them a very special one of one custom that they’ll appreciate for ever.

Find someone that will support your dream, no matter how ambitious and if they won’t, cut them out of your life because you’ll regret settling for a mundane 9 to 5 that keeps you comfortable but lacking in passion.

I’m very fortunate to have that person who stands by me, however, I’ve had people that called me crazy — they’re bad for your soul.

Save up and buy a bunch of sneakers from eBay, clean them up, customize them and showcase your work, hand out flyers at sneaker conventions when people are in the queue, same with sneaker shops, ask them if anybody in their staff rooms would be interested.

You’ve just gotta hustle at the beginning to get out there but like I said, it sells it’s self, if it’s good enough at least.

Why did you want to collaborate with SNEAKGOD?

I chose to work with SNEAKGOD because you’ve brought originality and fun to the game — customized sneakers need all the hype and publicity they can get, especially here in the UK as still it’s quite fresh.

How can I learn more about Starline Customs?

You can check me out on Instagram.

I’m messing around with TikTok — it’s simple satisfying junk that goes viral there, not detailed meaningful art, unless it’s filmed correctly so I’m working in filming everything I do and I will be on YouTube.

What are big announcements that you want anyone interested in Starline Customs to know?

I don’t really have any up and coming things, again, anything I plan on doing I like to keep to my self until it’s done and then I’ll talk about it.

There’s always things in the works but things don’t always work, lol.

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