Inspired by the Beautiful Losers film documentary, this collection of Nike Dunk Hi shoes was created by Nike, to celebrate Nike Sportswear and Beautiful Losers’ MAKE SOMETHING!! workshops. Starting September 25th at 7pm EST, the collection will be auctioned in collaboration with eBay Giving Works to the highest bidder, with all proceeds going to Children’s Aid Society, who fill the gaps between what children deserve and what life has dealt them, and have been serving children for more than 150 years www.childrensaidsociety.org.

This collection of 15 shoes is one of only 3 sets produced and will not be available at retail. Each shoe is US size 9. The collection will be exhibited at Nike Sportswear at The Montalbán from May 8th through May 17th, when the auction will conclude. A second collection, belonging to Nike Archive, will also be exhibited during these dates at select retailers in New York.

Nike Sportswear has a longstanding relationship with Beautiful Losers, having first partnered with founder and curator Aaron Rose in 2005, which saw the creation of two limited Beautiful Losers inspired Nike Blazer Hi shoes. Rose, director of this summer’s Beautiful Losers film documentary said “Nike and Beautiful Losers share the belief that if you believe in something, then you should make it, regardless if people tell you that you can’t.”

This common belief is exemplified in the Beautiful Losers inspired MAKE SOMETHING!! Nike Dunk Hi shoes, created in partnership between Aaron Rose and Nike Sportswear Design Director Jesse Leyva. “We went back to the Beautiful Losers film documentary and pulled frame stills of what we felt were key moments in the narrative. We used these moments to tell the Beautiful Losers story using the shoes as a medium, with the end result being a collection of works of art,” said Aaron Rose.

“When we decided on the concept of using frame stills from the film, we identified an innovative digital printing technique to create this special collection” said Leyva “The Nike Dunk Hi shoes each tell a different part of the Beautiful Losers story.” Leyva hosted the MAKE SOMETHING!! footwear design workshop in New York, where he talked of the inspiration behind creating unique sneaker designs, taking his audience through each step of design creation, from research to schematics and storytelling.

ABOUT NIKE SPORTSWEAR PRESENTS: BEAUTIFUL LOSERS’ MAKE SOMETHING!!
Working with public school art programs and youth mentoring programs, MAKE SOMETHING!! invited local children to participate in creative workshops such as sign painting, photography, skateboard graphic design, toy design, filmmaking, tattoo art, footwear design and zine making. Workshops will be hosted by renowned artists from the Beautiful Losers “do-it-yourself” art subculture, which included Ed Templeton, Tobin Yelland, Geoff McFetridge, Shepard Fairey, Mike Mills, Todd James, Cheryl Dunn, Kaws, Mr. Cartoon and Aaron Rose. The work created in each location formed a continually evolving exhibition, which was open to the public to view.

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For further information on Nike Sportswear presents Beautiful Losers’ MAKE SOMETHING!!, visit: www.nikesportswear.com

via EM Staff, 22 September 2008 9:35 pm | |