Sneaker customization is as popular as it ever has been. One reason many have given customizing a try is to see the colorway of a factory released shoe such as the Nike Lebron 8 South Beach, on model a sneaker company has no plans to release in that colorway. Since the early 2000s, when sneaker customizing started becoming it’s own subculture of the sneaker world the act of color swapping has been a cornerstone. From recreating Nike’s prints of Air Jordan III elephant or Air Tech Challenge. To fulfill ones sneaker fix despite not being able to find, let alone afford, so and so limited sneaker the options are to hire a customizer to recreate that desired look or try to go D.I.Y.
Up to this point every popular colorway or theme released by Nike has probably been the inspiration for a custom. Sometimes the idea becomes a cool mash up. Other times the result misses the execution all around. Or the colorway has been swapped what seems like a million times cough galaxy cough yeezy cough the colorway loses its mystique. But now it is almost becoming a sneaker customizer stereotype that customizing is just a bunch of Nike’s ideas rehashed. We know that is not true.
In effort to bring original ideas and artwork of the customizing scene to the forefront, PaintOrThread will be limiting color swaps to a single Saturday post as we come across them. Perhaps one might squeeze by that just deserves it’s own feature. Though when you really break the majority of them down the idea and reaction can be achieved by looking at one photo. So checkout the custom swap customs below and as a culture lets get back to originality and keeping sneaker brands on their toes not their designs on what we can call our own.
New Balance 1300 Staple Pigeon Custom by JP Custom Kicks. Inspired by the infamous Nike Pigeon Dunk created by Jeff Staple. They were dyed slightly a darker gray upon the suede with the orange already in place and pigeon patches attached to the heels. Follow JP on Instagram: @JPcustomkicks
Air Jordan XI low “Columbia” by 2Nice: Using this years earlier release of the black, white/true red XI low 2Nice brings the OG columbia colorway to that low life. Follow 2Nice on Instagram: @2NiceCustoms
“112” Nike Lebron X by Mache Customs: In the opening episode of Complex’s Quickstrike show DJ Clark Kent proclaimed for customizers to stop putting his “112” colorway upon sneakers for if he didn’t release them already maybe there was a reason. The popularity and limitedness of the 112 look has spawned a few different attempts swap the look to other models usually ending in a shoe with a questionable tone of neon volt and even more questionable attempt at elephant print. Mache did the swap some justice with decent print, accurate volt and actually added the often forgotten reflective 3M Scotchlite effect seen in the 2nd photo below. Check more from Mache on Instagram: @Mache275
Air Jordan V “Command Force” by Rameses: A Nike retro we will probably never see in its full pump form is that of the Nike Air Command Force. Yet it’s spots in sneakerhead history are strong being worn by David Robinson and the iconic Billy Hoyle in White Men Can’t Jump. Rameses brings together two early 90’s kicks in this custom color swapping the Command Force’s white/black-hot lime combination to the Air Jordan V white/black-fire red base. Opting for hot lime over the red shark teeth and the neon blue Jumpman logos. Just a bit of gray adds to the look on the heel. Follow Rameses on Instagram: @Rameses_
Images via Sneakernews.com
Nike Air Max 1 “Homegrown Hyperstrike” by Dank Customs: When it comes to a quality color swap customization not many come close to the effort that Dank Customs usually puts forth. A few years ago Dank released an Air Max Light of the Patta Homegrown grass colorway and now he brings the AM1 to life in the hyperstrike all orange get up. Complete with custom tongue tags, engraved panels, and cork insoles Dank gives more effort than the average color swap. Follow Dank Customs work on Instagram: @Jwdanklefs
If you have some color swap customizations you’d like to share for our Saturday re-cap visit the Contact page!