Okay, here’s my blog post about creating Coco Gauff’s signature shoes, written in a casual, personal style:
So, I’ve been obsessed with Coco Gauff lately, not gonna lie. Her game is just fire, and when I saw she was getting her own signature shoe, I knew I had to try and, like, manifest that energy into my own project. I’m no shoe designer, obviously, but I do mess around with customizing sneakers, so I thought, “Why not try to make my own Coco-inspired kicks?”
Getting Started
First things first, I needed a base shoe. I didn’t want to wreck a super expensive pair, so I grabbed some plain white canvas high-tops from a local store. They were pretty basic, which was perfect β a blank canvas, literally. I spent like an hour scrolling Pinterest and Insta, looking for pics of Coco’s actual shoes and just generally soaking up her vibe. I wanted to capture that mix of bold and elegant, you know?
The Design Process (aka Messy Fun)
This is where things got interesting. I laid down some newspaper (because, spills), got out my fabric paints, some fine-tipped brushes, and even some stencils I’d cut out. My initial idea was to go heavy on the color blocking, inspired by some of the outfits Coco wears. I used masking tape to get those sharp lines, which, let me tell you, is harder than it looks. My first attempt looked…well, let’s just say it wasn’t Instagram-worthy. π
I ended up peeling off some of the tape and starting over, going for a more subtle approach. I focused on adding accents of bright pink and a sort of electric blue β colors I’d seen Coco rock on the court. Instead of huge blocks of color, I went for thinner stripes and details around the ankle and along the laces.
- First Attempt: Total color chaos. Looked like a toddler attacked my shoes.
- Second Attempt: More controlled, thinner lines, focusing on accent colors.
- Adding Details: Stencils for a small “CG” logo (my interpretation, of course) near the heel.
The Finishing Touches
After the paint dried (which felt like forever!), I added some details with fabric markers. I tried to mimic some of the patterns I’d seen on Coco’s real shoes, but mostly I just went with what felt right. I even added a little “CG” logo β my own super amateur version, obviously β near the heel using a stencil I made. It’s not perfect, but it’s mine. I found some cool, colorful laces, and I replace the original. It’s amazing that make shoes different.
The final step was to spray the shoes with a sealant to protect the paint. I learned that the hard way after a previous project got ruined in the rain. π€¦ββοΈ
The Result
Okay, so they’re not going to be on shelves anytime soon, but I’m actually pretty proud of how they turned out! They’re definitely unique, and they capture a little bit of that Coco Gauff energy, I think. It was a fun, messy, and surprisingly satisfying project. Plus, now I have some one-of-a-kind shoes to wear when I’m (badly) playing tennis or, you know, just walking around. Mostly just walking around.
Would I do it again? Totally. Maybe next time I’ll try to tackle a different athlete’s style. Any suggestions?
