From an early age, I was drawn to the world of art, particularly life drawing, where the challenge of capturing an object in front of me was both engaging and rewarding. Among all the subjects I practiced drawing, shoes stood out as my favourite. I found that I could naturally grasp the angles, details, and intricacies, such as the tongue and mudguard, with ease. This early connection to drawing shoes felt like a natural extension of my artistic abilities, as if it was something I was always meant to do.
How did your early experiences with brands shape your passion for sneaker design and help you discover your creative interests?
I wasn’t really a proper sneakerhead when I was younger as I was still discovering my sense of style and identity. During my teenage years, when everyone around me was into Hollister chinos and blazers, I was looking for a brand that stood out. At the time, Justin Bieber was a huge influence, and his favourite brand, Supra, caught my attention. Supra, known for its bold high tops like the Skytops and TK Society, was available in the UK through stores like Size? and Offspring. I was drawn to their extreme designs, particularly the double-strap TK Society high tops that looked like skater moon boots.
It was from this interest that I started drawing sneakers, developing a passion not just for owning or collecting them, but for the creative side of sneaker design. I wasn’t focused on following trends or what was hyped; I simply bought what I liked and matched my shoes to my outfits. I remember pairing my electric blue Supra Vaider high tops with a matching Hollister polo, thinking it looked brilliant at the time. As I grew more interested in trainers, I learned more about different styles and trends, noticing what my friends were wearing, like the Adidas AdiRise high tops with the strap across the front. That era really sparked my love for sneakers and their creative potential.
How did your interest in sneakers ultimately shape your decision to pursue a career in design rather than pure art?
During my GCSE and A levels, I started collecting trainers, which coincided with the peak of the Huarache hype and the love for the Nike Blazer Vintage with their deliberately aged soles and worn-looking uppers. I was captivated by these trends, but as I delved into my A-level art courses, I noticed a distinction in my interests. The curriculum focused heavily on the fundamentals of hand drawing and painting, with little emphasis on design. It was during this time that I began to understand the difference between being an artist and a designer.
For me, art, whether in the form of sculpture, portraiture, or performance, is about storytelling—it’s meant to evoke emotions or provoke thought in the viewer. Design, on the other hand, feels like art with a purpose. It’s not just about aesthetics; it’s about utility and adding value beyond just looking cool or eliciting a feeling. This realisation helped me define my path, recognising that while I appreciated art, my passion leaned more toward design, where creativity meets function.
Which A-level subjects did you choose and did these help in your design career?
For my A levels, I had a rather unique mix of subjects: religious studies, biology, art design, and geography. It was like my brain was split between two distinct worlds—the artistic and theoretical side with theology and art, and the logical, scientific side with biology and geography. At that time, I actually aspired to be a marine biologist because of my love for aquatic life and animals, which have always been inspirations in my design work. However, I realised that while I loved my art, I didn’t feel a calling to pursue a doctorate or become a scientist.
This internal split led me to search for a way to blend these two passions. I discovered that the logical side of my brain and the artistic side could come together in design. After finishing secondary school and completing my A levels, I decided to pursue an Art Foundation course at Cambridge Regional College. These courses are offered all over the country and are designed to help you find your path in the arts. During the foundation year, you’re exposed to four main areas: fine art, sculpture, illustration/graphic design, and fashion. These pillars help guide you into various creative spaces, whether it’s product design, comic book art, or even fine art dealing.
At that point, I didn’t know I wanted to be a sneaker designer specifically, but I knew I wanted to follow the arts rather than science. I grew tired of just drawing pictures of shoes—I wanted to make them. My ultimate goal became clear: I wanted to be the person behind the shoes, creating designs that people would wear and love. That became my end goal, to see my creations come to life on people’s feet.
How did the Art Foundation course and the subsequent Footwear Design and Innovation Degree at the London College of Fashion shape your career path?
So, in my Art Foundation course, I chose fashion as my focus area because I knew I wanted to design shoes. It felt like the natural path, though it was quite intimidating at first. I was the only boy in a class of 30 students, all of whom were focused on dressmaking, while I was at the back of the class experimenting with paper mache, clay, and other materials to create shoes. I remember making some pretty wild designs, like a pair of shoes inspired by wood lice—not made from wood lice, of course, but designed to look like them. I was really into the idea of “destroying to create,” taking shoes apart to understand how they were made, and then reimagining them.
This passion led me to apply for a very specific footwear course at the London College of Fashion, which is part of UAL. They offer a Footwear Design and Innovation course that I highly recommend. The course is tied to the history and tradition of the cordwainers, which is a guild in London known for making fine shoes. A cordwainer, unlike a cobbler who repairs shoes, is a maker of new shoes. By studying at LCF, you essentially become an honorary member of the Cordwainers Guild, which has a long history and a luxury element to it.
The course is three to four years long, depending on your choice, and it covers everything from design to manufacturing. You start with the basics like fashion history, which is crucial for understanding trends, colour research, and material investigation. You’ll be given briefs to meet, which teaches you the reality of design—you’re always working within the constraints of a brief. During my time there, we worked with big names like Nicholas Kirkwood, Clarks, and even Zara, which gave me the chance to work with Zara through the university.
If you opt for the four-year course, the third year is spent in the industry, where you have to land a placement and work there. This experience is invaluable—it’s how you build connections and gain practical knowledge that will help you land a job after graduation. The course gives you the base knowledge in design and manufacturing, but the real learning happens during that industry year when you see how things work in the real world. It’s not just about what you know; it’s about who you know and the experience you gain.
How did your experience, particularly the transition from university to full time employment, influence your approach to footwear design and specialisation?
After my year of placement I started to work with Zara which was a transformative experience that really marked my first real taste of the fashion world. Zara, being a Spanish brand, is based in Alicante, and both Rocky (Rockwell Princely) and I had the opportunity to live and work there. We shared a three-bedroom flat, and the cost of living was so low that it allowed us to fully enjoy our time there. The work ethic at Zara was incredible—intense but rewarding. My manager, Numan, was a great mentor. A proper London “geezer” with deep industry knowledge, he quickly taught me the ropes, especially in areas like Adobe Illustrator and Photoshop, which are crucial for CAD work. At university, we touched on these skills, but it wasn’t until I was thrown into the deep end at Zara that I really learned how to use them effectively.
Transitioning from university to the industry was a huge leap. At uni, you’re in a bit of a bubble, where you might think you’re working hard, but in the industry, the workload and expectations are on a completely different level. What felt like giving 100% at uni translated to only about 50% of what was required in the industry. The intensity and speed at which you have to work, especially in a place like Zara, was a real eye-opener. It taught me how to churn out designs, conduct thorough research, and experiment with new ideas under tight deadlines.
When I moved into the industry, it became clear that while university tried to give us a broad education in footwear design, the real learning came from focusing on a specific area. For example, although university encourages you to explore all aspects of footwear design, I realised that specialising is crucial if you have a particular passion—like sneaker design. My career has been more commercially focused, as I’ve worked with large brands like Koovs (the ASOS of India), ASOS itself, and Zara. These brands require a broad range of footwear designs, from sneakers to boots, sandals, and even flip-flops. Though I’ve designed footwear across various categories, I haven’t ventured into women’s shoes much, but I have designed heeled products for men.
“My advice for anyone entering the industry is to specialise in what you love while maintaining a broad skill set. Whether it’s sneakers, boots, or something else, honing in on your passion will help you stand out in a competitive field.”
How did your experiences shape your design approach, particularly in relation to the rugged, functional styles you’re now known for?
It’s really interesting to look back on how my design journey has evolved, especially when I think about how I started out. But after leaving university, I landed a job at a small brand called Koovs. Unfortunately, my time there was short-lived because COVID hit, and the company went under.
During the pandemic, ASOS was one of the few companies thriving, and they brought me on board to design for their footwear team. I spent about two and a half years there, focusing on men’s boots, shoes, and loungewear footwear categories. This was around the time when the Yeezy slide trend was taking off, and we were producing a full range of slides. Everyone seemed to be rocking them back then.
I also got to work on a lot of grunge boots, which taught me a lot about sole unit design—a key element in footwear. My design aesthetic has always leaned towards rugged and functional styles, which is why when I introduced the HKE line at Notwoways, it felt like a natural progression. This line has an outdoor, grunge-inspired aesthetic, something that was already evident in my final university project.
What’s really interesting is how the functional, utility-focused elements I was experimenting with back then—like gaiters, pockets, straps, and harnesses—have now become mainstream. We see this trend clearly in the rise of “gorpcore,” which blends outdoor functionality with everyday fashion. It’s fascinating to see how ideas that seemed niche at the time have become a significant part of today’s fashion culture, influenced by figures like Kanye West and brands like Salomon. It feels rewarding to have been a part of that shift, even before it became widely recognized.
How did your experience at Zara and ASOS lead you to transition into working with Notwoways, a brand with a more streetwear and sneaker-focused identity?
Transitioning from being a part of a massive corporate machine like Zara to playing a more central role at Notwoways was a significant leap. Working at a big brand like Zara or ASOS is incredibly valuable because you quickly learn the intricacies of how a brand operates, from the supply chain to trend forecasting. You gain a deep understanding of what works in design, but you also face the limitations imposed by budgets and cost considerations. For instance, when you’re tasked with designing a $20 FMB trainer, you realise you can’t always choose the materials or colours you’d ideally want. It teaches you the importance of efficiency and making the most out of constraints, but it can also feel creatively stifling.
After a while, I reached a point where I wanted to get back to more authentic design work—something closer to my passion for sneakers. That’s when I decided it was time to move on. Between my time at ASOS and joining Notwoways, I did some freelance work, including a stint back at Zara. Numan, my old manager, called me up to do some trend research on the ground in London, particularly focusing on what people were wearing and what colors and styles were trending. It was all about understanding the pulse of the city to inform Zara’s design choices, especially for products aimed at the London market. It was great fun, and it allowed me to focus exclusively on sneakers, which I loved. But all of this work was done remotely, and I quickly realized that working from home wasn’t for me. I thrive in a more dynamic environment, and the isolation of home office life was driving me a bit crazy.
This period of freelancing and remote work highlighted the importance of being in a creative, collaborative space for me. It’s part of what made the opportunity at Notwoways so appealing—it was a chance to be deeply involved in a project I was passionate about, in an environment that suited my working style.
Does it feel like you’ve reached where you want to be in your career? What’s next for you?
Working in a big company equips you with a strong work ethic and a comprehensive understanding of how every piece of the puzzle fits together. When you’re at a startup, you quickly realize that your role isn’t confined to just one area. Even though you’re a footwear designer, you’re also wearing multiple hats—whether it’s helping out with content, bouncing ideas around, or overseeing production. In a bigger brand, these tasks might be spread across entire teams, but in a startup, it’s all hands on deck.
That’s the beauty of working at Notwoways. The brand is at a crucial stage of growth, and being part of that is incredibly exciting. It’s not just about designing sneakers—it’s about being involved in every aspect of the brand’s evolution. The trips to China to oversee production, attending fashion weeks for trend forecasting, and being part of the decision-making process are all opportunities that you might not get at a larger company.
For me, it’s about continuous growth—both for the brand and myself. I’m in the sneaker design world now, something that would have seemed like a dream to my 18-year-old self. But I’m not just stopping at designing trainers; I’m committed to expanding my skill set. Whether it’s diving deeper into 3D development, learning more about the production side of things, or just improving my overall design abilities, I’m focused on constant improvement.
It feels like I’m in the perfect place to do that, surrounded by a team that’s equally passionate and driven. Whether it’s with Notwoways or through my own initiatives, I’m on a path of continual growth and learning. It’s an exciting journey, and I’m making the most of every opportunity that comes my way! If you ever have any questions or just want to chat, I’m always here to reach out “@chrissy.d.t” . Thank you for letting me share my journey and help others who are just as passionate.
