Popcustoms

Overview

My personal pandemic’s most unforeseen business success and passion. In the midst of the covid-19 misery, I turned my frustration and energy towards pursuing a business idea in delivering customizable painted designs on sneakers for the Thai market. Through this service, customers were able to choose cartoons, pictures, designs or even characters that they liked and have me custom paint it on to their favorite sneaker.

Skills

Shoe Design / Painting

The initial idea was conceived out of an infatuation with sneakers. Beyond just being a comfortable and easy-to-use choice of footwear, I had always found that sneakers were one of the few things we could use to differentiate ourselves and express our identity, setting us apart from each other while wearing our mundane uniforms at school. But despite all this, I found most of my friends sporting the same plain white AirForce Ones along school hallways. So I thought: why be constrained by the prescribed designs of big corporate sneaker companies when water-proof paints were so easily available? And how can I help enable unique individual expression while preserving the sneaker’s versatility?
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It was then when I took paintbrush to sneaker. And in doing so, I married my two passions: art and entrepreneurship.
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With every shoe design, I became more meticulous with the artwork. I presented my customers with 2-3 options and iterated them until they were satisfied. I immediately began sketching small marks on the sneakers, and then adding color. Every tone, value, and tiny brush stroke to perfection and each, to represent the customer's identity.

Personal Connection

Designer/Marketing

Apr 2021 — Dec 2022

With every new order, I was more challenged than the last, and my excitement grew. But this was not just about art: it was customer service. It was managing orders, mediating between people’s personal requests and what was possible artistically. With each order, I grew as an artist, entrepreneur, and salesman. I perfected the art of communication and learnt that I truly enjoyed learning more about others, understanding their uniqueness, and helping them figure out how best to express their individuality. In many ways, this desire to interact was not solely about expressing myself, as it was about learning more about the uniqueness of others. And as I learn more about this desire, it never ceases to amaze me the many ways in which individuality can be expressed, through even the smallest of changes.

I look back and think that perhaps the reason I was most attracted to shoes, was because I missed my ability to explore. Pop Customs gave me a chance to explore the possibilities, learn about myself, and interact with others without having to leave my home. Every adventure starts with a small step, and this was mine.

INSTAGRAM TIKTOK