Today we’d like to introduce you to Tate Hudson.
Hi Tate, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
My two older stepsiblings are really interested in art and have inspired me since I was little to pursue it. I attended Benson Polytechnic High School in Portland, Oregon, which functions similarly to a college in which students get to choose a major. I chose the digital media major and taking those classes helped me sift through the aspects of the field that I’m most interested in; photography, graphic design, and videography. Along with digital media, early in the pandemic, I broadened my interests to fashion and footwear design. I decided to combine my interest in art and passion for sneakers to rejuvenate an old pair of Adidas by doing an abstract design with Posca paint pens split down the middle. My neighbor saw me wearing them a few weeks later and wanted his own custom-painted shoes. Since then, I have continued my business and expanded it. I started making custom-painted accessories such as wallets, phone cases, and hats and also selling my digital artwork embroidered or screen printed on a variety of clothing items. It’s been a fun and motivating thing, and I’ve since kept up with it during college. It’s been more challenging to find time to keep making my own art when I’m busy with classes, but I took a custom sneaker order over winter break, and most recently, I made a t-shirt design that I will sell at a local market on the 29th.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall, and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Building my business has, thankfully, been a smooth road for the most part. My family and friends have been very supportive and are always there when I need help. I often ask them for design feedback, figuring out a technical issue, or coordinating set up at a market. The main challenge I faced was the pandemic because it made growing a business harder when I’m solely reliant on online marketing and networking. As the regulations have decreased, I’ve been able to make more connections locally with stores and markets, which have largely increased sales.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar, what can you tell them about what you do?
I think what sets me apart from other sneaker customizers is that I don’t do large batch work. I like getting to know each customer and creating a 1 of 1 sneaker that represents them. I take a lot of time on each pair, customizing the box, including stickers and a personal note to the customer to create a special unboxing experience. I also make sure that my design has never been done before because for me that’s what sneaker customization is about, creating a special design that makes you stand out and that is unique to you. What I’m most proud of is some of the custom sneakers that I have made. I spend so long on each pair, not stopping until the design is exactly how I want it, and with this level of care, I have created some very detailed shoes that I’m super happy with. Sneaker customization is also what I’m most known for because that’s what I began with, and that’s who I have the most connections within the industry. Although custom sneakers is a big part of my image, I equally enjoy designing clothes, and I want to keep pursuing that in the future.
Where do you see things going in the next 5-10 years?
With the recent advancement of technology, I could see it being incorporated into our society more and more in the future. Unlike some fields, I don’t see art being fully replaced by AI or technology because the human aspect of creativity and capability of making mistakes is what makes art so special. Also, the connection of the buyer and artist is special and can’t me replaced by artificial intelligence. People like knowing that they are supporting someone by buying their art and like knowing the artists story behind it. I can see technology being a bigger tool used in art though. Using digital art programs might become more popular, and also making more art that purely exists online could increase.
Pricing:
- Customs starting at $150
- T-shirts: $38
- Stickers: $3
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/t8hud/
Image Credits
Tyler Wynn
