The following post is from YouthNoise Play City—a community dedicated to changing the world through sports and play. PLAY ON!
SOLE POWER!
Whether your breakdancing or balling it up on the court, we all need our kicks to survive. Our shoes take us to new heights as we leave our mark on the planet. Few know this better than D'Wayne Edwards, Footwear Design Director of Jordan Brand and a creator of Nike's Future Sole Design Competition.
D'Wayne, a graduate of Inglewood High School in California, is a living example of how soles really can take you places. Sketching and designing footwear for over twenty years, he says that footwear design is more than a job. It's his passion!
SOULS UNITE: FROM ARTISTS TO ATHLETES
It's no surprise than that D'Wayne recently returned to his old alma mater to share his passion with others by providing his Future Sole Design Workshop to a group of graphic art students. The workshops are an opportunity to share his wealth of design experience, to provide feedback on the students' footwear designs, and to urge them to enter the competition.
I attended the second installment of his workshop and had the pleasure to see young artists being introduced to footwear design techniques, marketing practices, and industry basics -- juicy bits of information most folk would have to pay for!
Another Inglewood graduate, Seattle Seahawk defensive end, Lawrence Jackson, was also there to offer advice on how to succeed off the field, and to provide feedback on the work submitted by workshop participants. D'Wayne and Lawrence reminded the students that they too can make it big in anything from athletics to footwear design if they work hard and aim high -- to dream big is to begin big.
D'Wayne Edwards and Seattle Seahawk, Lawrence Jackson(Graduates of Inglewood High School)
The student artists presented their footwear designs and discussed such things as the motivation behind their color schemes and overall inspiration for their designs. Some artists even had a handful of impressive specs detailing the type of material to be used for the shoe and where it would be placed.
Another artist shared that he had talked to Inglewood High athletes to learn about players' needs and wants in a basketball shoe -- a research process common to the design industry, especially to industry leaders like Nike and the Jordan Brand.
After presenting their designs, each student chose their favorite sketch and submitted it before the workshop judges. The goal was to compare the design styles, provide feedback to the designers, and to highlight those soles that were original, creative, marketable, and functional.
Two Future Sole Design Workshop Participants(Sheuntae Morisette and Jacquelyn Armstrong)
THE SOUL OF THE FUTURE SOLE DESIGN COMPETITION
In high school, I never had an opportunity to share my art with designers like D'Wayne or to hear inspiring advice from professional athletes like Lawrence Jackson. The Future Sole Design Workshops are an example of how the sport-for-good movement builds our future by investing in our future leaders. Big props to D'Wayne and Lawrence 'cause they're the kind of professionals our communities need.
D'Wayne's simple message is equally as impressive as his actions are: Someone has to design our future footwear. And that someone can be you. He did it. You can do it. Enter the Future Sole Design Competition and let your sole shine!
PROPS!
Speaking of shining. Inglewood has some stars, buoy! I was wrapping up outside the school when these real cool students introduced their fancy footwork to me. Nothing shines like real soul and these ladies weren't afraid to show it. I'm putting together a short video and you just might see them practicing their moves!
Kasie Davis and Nakeva SmithInglewood High School is obviously building stars that excel and who aren't afraid to express themselves. It was wonderful to see. Big Props to all Inglewood High's fascinating students, both past and present!
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