Off the sneaker customization radar since about late 2010 theMenace is back with all new recon custom sneakers. You may remember his work that made some noise as full reconstructions of the Vans Sk8 Hi. Well some of the materials he used are the same but base model different being that of the Air Jordan I. TheMenace gave the iconic AJ 1 silhouette a look of what was probably worn with them originally quite often in those mid 1980s: acid wash denim.
Shoe Brands
Nike Lebron 9 Low “Horizon” by District Customs
Summer is here so naturally the customs are getting brighter. District Customs is back, this time with his custom Nike Lebron 9 Low “Horizon.” Using the Lebron 9 Low “Mint” from the Easter pack as a base, DC painted each shoe a different colorway to fit the same theme.
Color Swap Saturday #1: UNDFTD, Salmon Toes, Tiffany and more
One of the easier “concepts” in the custom sneaker world is that of the color swap. It involves the customizing a pair of sneakers into a different colorway based on an officially released colorway of a different model of shoes. Even though the creativity needed to complete a color swap is basic, the skills needed to pull off a decent end result take some practice to achieve.
Air Jordan IV “Gold Digger” Custom by @DMC_Kicks
Is there any non-athlete that has a bigger impact on the sneaker world than Kanye West? The “Yeezy” colorway customs are rampant and non-news at this point but DMC Kicks gives a nod to West’s musical prowess of his 2005 single Gold Digger on this Air Jordan IV. These don’t entail a huge alteration as the starting base is still recognizable being the cement gray/white colorway of the AJ IV retro.
Nike Air Max 1 “Dont Fuck With Texas” by Dank Customs
Do mess with Texas based customizer Jake of Dank Customs when it comes to customizing your favorite Nike Air Max retro. His latest customer request creation is full of the state of Texas pride. Starting with the red, white and blue colorway the midsoles were painted blue with black added to the groove lines. Upon the upper you see one of the better takes at recreating Nike’s elephant print with the black on gray design painted after being engraved. Red on the Swooshes and liners bring together the look.
Nike Lebron X “He’s On Fire!” by BlackLion Customs
Will any team be able to cool off Lebron from getting his 2nd NBA Championship this June? So far it appears not. In celebration of the Heat’s 2013 playoff run BlackLion Customs created this custom titled after the classic “He’s On Fire!” line from the video game NBA Jam. The Lebron X has seen lots of customs that cover the entire upper in a painted airbrushed design but BlackLion chose to keep it a bit simpler.
Boston Strong Nike Air Force 1 Charity Auction by @FudaCustoms
After last month’s tragedy at the Boston Marathon Christian of Fuda Customs chose to use his growing customizing skills to show support of the bombings victims. He customized this originally all white Nike Air Force one with a skyline of downtown Boston, Massachusetts superimposed across a background of an American flag. Along the heels is the phrase “Boston Strong” in white lettering. The design is being auctioned off to be re-created in the winners size. All proceeds will be given to The One Fund Boston.
Nike LeBron 9 Elite “US Open” Tennis Ball by @TwizzCustoms
Darn Nike they really sure know how to upset “sneakerheads” these days. Having Lebron and Kevin Durant, their two biggest basketball athletes, post up samples that’ll never see the light of day in sneaker store shelves across America. The next option for those sneakerheads are customizers if you haven’t figured that out yet. Taking inspiration from the “tennis ball” Lebron 9 Elite that KingJames posted online Twizz Customs brightened up the Lebron 9 Elite in white and black in this “US Open” customization.