Following the World Sneaker Championship, PENSOLE has partnered with adidas for the Earn Your Stripes program. This three week design program focuses on finding and developing the next generation of adidas footwear designers. 15 creatives in the fields of footwear design, CMF and 3D digital design will work with adidas and D’Wayne Edwards as part of this one of a kind experience. These are their stories.
Sunday, September 14
Today marks the official beginning of the final week of adidas x Pensole “Earn Your Stripes” Program. The amazing journey is coming to an end as we prepare for presenting our projects at the Adidas Village later this week. The focus of today is to ensure that all design concepts are finalized so that materials can be chosen for our footwear Monday.
D’Wayne made his way to the studio around 10:00 AM to review our designs and to ensure teams were on schedule. We continued revising sketches and creating mockups for our footwear throughout the duration of the day. Tomorrow groups will meet with Suzette Henry (Color & Materials) to choose final materials for our projects.
The overall experience of adidas x Pensole has been absolutely amazing. I’ve learned so many things that will be beneficial to me in the future. Learning from one of the most accomplished designers in the history of footwear is also a great treat. Everyday D’Wayne Edwards challenges us to think critically and to design with purpose rather than for aesthetic reasons. He’s the “Sensi” of footwear design and seems to use every opportunity he has to teach us valuable lessons for industry. He has also mastered the art of storytelling. He has great stories about his past with various brands and things that have happened during his 20 plus years in industry.
I’ve also learned a lot about Adidas and the core principles of the brand. Going to the US headquarters and meeting various designers really allow you to understand what adidas is all about.
I’m very blessed and grateful to have partaken in such a great event. I feel Pensole is something every aspiring footwear designer should participate in. It’s a great learning experience and prepares you mentally for the industry.
