5 sneaker-related creatives to discover

Small businesses have exploded in popularity in the last year. Due to time spent indoors, creatives have been able to hone in on their craft, while also sharing their creations with the rest of the world through social media, with many taking inspiration from sneaker and basketball culture.

These 5 female creatives have created everything from sneaker hybrids to handmade basketball bags. In their own unique style, they're pushing the limits of design through sneaker and sneaker-inspired merchandise. Let's discover them together!

N1KE NAILS

N1KE Nails, is located in London, and offers the cutest nail arts to go along with your Nike sneakers. This small nail business offers custom Nike-inspired press-on nails that can be applied to your nails from the comfort of your own home. Their extensive collection features sets like the J Balvin Jordan 1 inspired nails, which have a stunning blue to red ombré, as well as a Valentine's inspired set in bright pink and red with mini swooshes emblazoned on each tip. So if you want your nails to compliment your sneakers and elevate your outfit? N1KE Nails has you covered!

AGATA PANUCCI

Agata Panucci is a footwear and fashion designer based in Italy. Agata is best known for her vibrant and playful renditions of sneaker hybrids. Combining not only two, but many silhouettes into one to create a stylish and fun modern work of art. She not only has a knack for digitally modeling footwear, but she also plays with reworking/upcycling sneakers and accessories that continue to embody her vibrant aesthetic.

TOMME STUDIO

Since 2018, TOMME Studio has been transforming basketballs into wearable mini bags that cater to both men and women. The name TOMME itself was derived from the words femme x homme x tomboy = TOMME. The founder pays homage to her love of the game by designing these intricately crafted bags, with the intention of making the wearer feel confident and empowered in their own skin. TOMME Studio has collaborated with a variety of creatives and businesses, including Taslima K and Makeway, to name a few. Not to mention, celebrities and influencers like well-known singers Billie Eilish and Rosalìa have been seen rocking the unique bags.

TEGA AKINOLA

Nowadays, upcycling involves far more than just flipping jeans into shorts. Creatives in the sneaker world have been having a lot of fun reinventing footwear with everything from recycled textile fabrics to wires and cables. Tega Akinola, a student in the UK who has been turning heads on Instagram in the past year with her innovative way of upcycling, is one of those involved in this movement. Despite the fact that she is still in the early stages of her upcycling journey, she has already collaborated with the APOC Store. Three adorable mini fleece bags and mules with uppers covered in discarded cabling were among the items in the now-sold-out curated collection.

CENT LDN

Candles are no longer dull and uninspired shapes, candles have been sculpted into all sorts of things in recent years. Cent Ldn, on the other hand, took things to a whole new level with their candles. Hand poured in London, their most popular product is the Spalding Basketball candles, that also incorporate the fine grain found on basketballs. It is clear that this recently launched small business has already established a presence in the creative candle world and will not be disappearing soon!