The “Heavenly Bodies” Custom Sneaker Project
February 16th, 2024
“Blue Supergiant” (left) & “Titan Moon” (right) custom Asics GT-2160.
The Concept
Before I wrote this, I was trying to figure out how I was going to talk about the creation of this project. When I started running through the sequence of events in my head, I realized that I don’t even remember what it was that led me to come up with the idea to work on a shoe inspired by a blue supergiant, but seeing how I went from having no direction to having a full concept— seemingly out of nowhere— is what makes me feel like this project was a part of something bigger than me.
All I remember doing was scrolling through color palettes and being indecisive on what direction I was going to go with the project, to then just having an idea.. but I forgot what it was that actually sparked it in the first place. I was intrigued with the way the term “Blue Supergiant” sounded, it has a nice ring to it, so I looked up some images of a blue supergiant and saw one that had a beautiful blueish-periwinkle hue. I immediately knew that I was going to go for this color, so I bought all the supplies I needed to get this project going.
Once I finished the Blue Supergiant sneaker, I started to feel accomplished, but I already had another pair of Asics GT-2160’s being delivered soon after finishing. I wasn’t planning to make another shoe, but once I played with the thought of doing another one, I immediately decided I was definitely going to do it, without letting myself think too much of it. At the start of the project, I was stuck between creating a blue or green shoe, so having already completed the blue design, I decided to craft a green counterpart; This time, inspired by Saturn’s largest moon, Titan. The reason I chose this is because I’m obsessed with the mystery and the cosmic aura of Titan. It’s also the largest moon for my favorite planet, Saturn.
Before I even began working on the second pair, the Titan Moons, I knew I wanted a name that captured the ethereal essence of this project. Considering the concept and the ethereal color palette, I felt like nothing sounded more fitting than “Heavenly Bodies”.
The Hand-Dyeing Process and Deciding on the Color Palette
The “Titan Moon” hand-dyeing process.
When making the Blue Supergiants, I fell in love with that one blue-periwinkle mock-up image I found on Google, but saw that there’s no single hue that defines it. I decided to go for something that fit in-between the variation of shades of blue that I had to choose from, to best represent the concept. Even then, It is all still a game of inference and color theory,, as I had to factor in many things, such as the base color of the shoe, the color of the dyes, and how those colors react with each other and with the color and the materials of the shoe.
As for the Titan Moons, I love the hazy teal, green, blue and beige hue that Titan has and had to figure out how I was going to achieve this color palette with the hand-dyeing process. I ultimately decided to try something I haven’t done before; using multiple dye baths on one shoe.
I was disappointed as one of the colors that I bought for this project was delayed and wasn’t delivered until the day after, but this actually wasn’t a problem because I achieved a color palette that embodied the core essence of Titan before getting a chance to even use the dye that didn't come in time. Again, emphasizing how universe-driven this project felt.
How Using the Hand-Dyeing Technique Contributed to the Overall Aesthetic
The midsole and heel-counter on the “Titan Moon” colorway.
I decided to hand-dye because I love the mystery of not knowing what you will get once you take the shoes out of the dye bath. I love vintage-style fashion and I felt like mixing this technique with a Y2K-aesthetic silhouette like the Asics GT-2160 blends well.
Hand-dyeing imparts a distressed feel to the sneakers, especially because the adhesive on the shoe also gets affected by the dye, and each part of the shoe absorbs the dye differently, adding another layer of mystery to the process, and ultimately adding to that retro ambience I was aiming for.
Apart from the retro-nostalgic elements on the silhouette, the Asics Gel cushion on the back of the midsole absorbed the dye very well and has a sort of glitter-like effect that gives an astral touch to the sneaker, combining the Y2K and celestial themes effortlessly.
Asics Gel absorbing the dye adds emphasis to the concept.
Intentional Branding
Small Soular System logos were placed around the shoe.
These sneakers reflect the theme of Soular System by embodying the celestial essence of these heavenly bodies within the bounds of y2k, fitting into that sort of retro-future theme of the brand.
The Asics Gel and the Soular System logo stand out on the heel-counter.
The bottom of the heel counter and the overlay by the vamp on each shoe is branded with the Soular System® logo, while the eyestay and overlay by the toe box is branded with the Soular System® vinyl logo. I put the logos here because I wanted minimalistic yet effective logo placement.
Personal Connections and how the Project Contributes to Soular System’s Image
This project involved precision-working with small vinyl decals.
I have a few personal connections to the Titan Moons. Titan is the largest moon of my favorite planet in our solar system, Saturn, which is also the planet for my zodiac sign, Capricorn. As for the Blue Supergiants, I always liked the idea of everything having a counterpart, and in a conceptual or imaginative sense; I thought of a blue sun as a counterpart to the observed yellow sun. When thinking about what a blue sun would look like, a blue supergiant is exactly what came to mind.
Overall this was a very tedious project— especially when it came to working with vinyl that was half a centimeter in size. Even then, finishing this project was a rewarding experience, and if I had another concept to go along with this theme, I would probably execute it again. I anticipate that the ‘Heavenly Bodies’ custom promotional pack will not only accentuate my fascination with celestial wonders but also provide a deeper insight into the overarching theme of Soular System.
