Dr. Medzoo custom kicks

We had a chance to interview a brilliant custom sneaker designer from Paris by the name of Dr. Medzoo. He is one of the greatest custom sneaker designers I'VE ever seen (...and if you know of better let us know at talent@encorestatus.com). We featured some of his kicks before and during our launch. Here is part 1 of our interview with him

-Let me get this out of my system early, how many sneakers do you own?Which is your most prized pair and why?

Wow you started with a good one! Just one second I'm going to count them….I've got 1,2,3,4…… around 30!!!! (laughs)

There are many pairs that I like the AJ 5 & 6, Reebok twilight zone or the air flow…but there is one that it was very hard to get... it's a classic one, the Air max 1 storm. Simple and very efficient in the design. That's why I love this pair. It's one of my favorite !

-Has sneakers always been your canvas? How did you get into sneaker customization?

Of course not!!

During the 90's, I was hanging around older guys who had the opportunity to travel overseas to America for example. I would see their original sneakers, and I wanted to have my own. An easy way to do this without flying half around the way around the world, was to change and modify my own sneakers, to be an original, something that only I owned. They were exclusively my own.

A few years ago, in 2003, I decided to pursue my desire to design, and work with textiles. I started to use various materials such as jeans, t shirts and caps. The feedback I was receiving for my work was very positive, and this gave me the motivation to pursue and develop new creative ideas. My ideas and creations were being received so well, I started finding myself extremely busy, doing customized special orders for various customers.

In 2005 I began to apply my knowledge of textiles into my sneakers. What I wanted to achieve was to totally modify the sneakers, painting on new colors and graffiti designs. This desire has grown stronger as I continue to get more and more involved within the sneaker customizing game.

-What is your favorite sneaker to customize and why?

There are all different and have there own specificity if you want to paint on it. For me the best one to customize is the Dunk High because there is a lot of space on the sneaker to express myself .

-Is there a sneaker you wouldn't customize?
The proper answer would be NO. I'm here to customize whatever people want and make the customer happy. BUT there is one pair that I just can't stand it's called the "Requin"it's an Air max plus tn –shark in French- they are very popular in France but it's only street cats and toys that wear them. I just hate this pair. And of course I'll never paint on FAKE shoes !!!

I'll pick 3 of our favorite sneakers from your page, and you give us a little information/story about it:

Hell Print 2008

In the evolution of my work it was necessary to have my own "cement "effect. The AM Light came on the spot. The color way was exactly what I wanted and match perfectly with my cement. I spend a lot of time on it and at least I'm proud of the result.


Spider Attack 2008

For the Vandal series that I've done I choose famous characters like Wolverine, Spiderman, Bart Simpson and Bender to prove that it was possible to do a clean custom of a character and at least it works really good ! What do you think ?!


VANDAL HIGH NO SCHOOL
Its funny that you have mention this one because I haven't communicate much on it. Nobody ever saw the biggest part of the job because I've done something special inside of the shoe. With this video I will let you see what I'm talking about :


Stay tuned for more on Dr. Medzoo!
Mail :mail : dr.medzoo@yahoo.fr
link : www.myspace.com/drmedzoo