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Do you know Emmanuel Golden? You may not know the name, but you likely know his work. Over the past few years he?s steadily kept the kicks coming under the Emmanuelabor Customs brand. El gained fame back in ?07 for his Kanye-inspired ?Graduation? Dunks and has showed longevity since, including this year?s standout ?Venice Beach? Kobe VI. We caught up with the man of many creative customs to find out how he got in the game, his process, and his advice to newcomers.
What got you into sneakers?
I think playing basketball as a kid got me into sneakers. Growing up, there were so many great shoes being made for basketball that I was forced to take notice. We played so much that I went through shoes pretty quickly, and in turn, I was always on the lookout for my next pair. It soon became habit to be up on the newest shoes coming out and my love for sneakers was cemented. Nike and Reebok marketing campaigns were part of it as well. They romanticized footwear and made it more than just something you bought for an activity. Shoes became something that defined you.
How did you get started making customs?
I really wanted to be a shoe designer when I was young, but I didn?t know what college courses to take, which school to attend, or how to get into the industry. As an adult, I came across some Methamphibian Rayguns customs. Finding out that he made them himself opened my eyes to so many possibilities, and made me feel I could still ?design? shoes on a small scale. I looked up a tutorial he made and spent a bunch of money on paint and supplies. I ruined A LOT of shoes, but had fun the entire time.
Which creation is your personal favorite?
Wow. I really don?t have one favorite. It changes from week to week. It could be the Magneto Air Force Ones today, the Graduation Dunks tomorrow, or the Hardwood Classic Supremes next week. I try to do bigger and better things each time out. So often, my next pair is my best pair.
Who have you done work for?
I?ve done shoes that have ended up in the hands of Carmelo Anthony, Joe Budden, Kanye West, Terrell Owens, Cam?Ron, and Juelz Santanna.
Are your designs meant to be wearable or as a display piece?
Everything I make is meant to be worn. That?s the beauty of customized sneakers. They?re like mobile art that can be taken wherever the owner goes. Having them collect dust in a box would defeat the purpose. It would be a waste of all the time and effort that goes into making them.
What?s your general design process?
It always starts with a theme and outlining what I want to convey. I very rarely mock up or Photoshop anything. It?s all just a mental list of concepts and things I want to touch on. Once I have the general idea, I gather my materials and get started. If it?s a deconstruction/reconstruction, I take the base shoe apart, make my patterns and go from there. If it?s a paint job, I tape up the shoe if necessary, and mix my colors. I prep the shoes with acetone, and lay my base coats.
How much time does a project typically take?
It depends on how motivated/excited I am about a concept. It can range from four days to four weeks. Generally though, in most cases, it?s about ten days, with a majority of the work being done on Saturdays and Sundays. I believe I did the original Graduation dunks in three days! That has to be a record for me.
What do you take inspiration from?
My inspirations vary, but are generally rooted in things I?m into. Stuff I grew up on like Star Wars or GI Joe, music I listen to like Kanye West, A Tribe Called Quest, or Raekwon, athletes I admire, or cities I?ve visited. Sometimes I want to alter an existing idea. I may like characteristics of a certain shoe, but prefer to see them on a different model.
