Customise your sneakers
> Edmond Looi reconstructs highly coveted sneakers into works of art
splashed across the sole; a ubiquitous symbol of the Chinese New Year.
“I guess for a first attempt, it was pretty good.
“I received some really positive feedback and also scored myself a feature in a local magazine which encouraged me to explore even more,” says Looi.
Highly anticipated items of the short-lived season truly speak for the longevity of the item that brings only excitement and nothing else. Looi soon realised the actuality thus separated himself from the phenomenon.
“I used to buy anything that was trendy at that moment of time,” he confessed.
“I once bought a hoodie for RM3,000. When I think of it right now, it was quite a waste of money. I’ve stopped buying the typical kind of streetwear and lean more towards freestyle fashion.”
Over the years it has become apparently hard to justify the substance of streetwear, to which Looi explains, “It is not just skateboarding culture or basketball apparels; it is a mixture of everything. Nevertheless, streetwear is definitely a movement and not a
trend.” Thanks to Balenciaga’s US$2,145 version of IKEA’s US$0.99 FRAKTA bag, the iconic tote bag became fashion’s latest obsession. It has prompted many DIY enthusiasts to fabricate one-ofa-kind items out of the big blue bag. Some of the creative takes include gas masks, boots, baseball caps, jackets, skirts and even innerwear. Likewise, Edmond Looi is one of many individuals that challenges himself to create similar statement pieces. The result is an IKEA-inspired Adidas trainer that successfully translated the Scandinavian brand’s aesthetic; featuring the recognisable blue and yellow brand colours.
During Malaysia’s biggest sneaker convention – SneakerLAH 2017, Looi had the opportunity to exhibit the shoes he customised. His “IKEABOOST” received much recognition among sneaker aficionados. “An Indonesian-Chinese wanted to buy the shoes – at that time I have not sold any of my shoes because I didn’t know what is the value of my sneaker collection, but he was offering me S$3000 for my creation,” Looi said. When asked which is his favourite customised pair of sneakers, he replied: “It’s always the one I’m working on.”