Customise Your Superga Kicks

At Superga’s Camden Market store, you can put your stamp on their sneaks the old-fashioned way: with a lick of paint. There’s usually an artist perched outside the shop, scribbling everything from song lyrics to Union Jacks across the canvas.  Can’t get to the Market? We tapped up resident illustrator, Francesca, for a step-by-step guide on how to paint your trainers at home.

Pick your paint

‘Always use acrylic paint because it’s permanent, waterproof and will cover any colour canvas (even black). We use Crafters paint but any brand from a good art shop should do the trick. Acrylics come in different consistencies – if it’s quite thick, mix with a few drops of water, taking care not to make it too watery. You want the colour to come out nice and strong.’

Get sketching  

‘Paint the outline of your design first and then fill in. Spread the paint thinly to prevent the paint cracking, and keep to the canvas as much as you can, as any paint on the rubber sole will fade. It should take about 20-30 minutes to do both shoes. One of the easiest designs to do is the paint splash – all you need to do it grab a brush (any size) and throw the paint on with the flick of your wrist.
If you make a mistake, there’s no going back, but you can try and cover it with something else – shadows are an easy way to make a mistake look intentional.

Let them dry

‘After you’ve finished painting, leave them to dry for 15 minutes (we use a hairdryer in the shop and they’re done in five). Thenspray your trainers with a rain and stain protection spray. We use Crep Protect – every sneakerhead’s best kept secret. It keeps even white trainers looking box fresh and will help retain the colour of your design. Hold the can 20mm away from your shoes and spray a single layer all over.’

Aftercare

‘If you want to wash them, it’s possible – just wrap the shoes in cotton and iron to fix the colour on the canvas. Wash at 30 degrees.’

For more info about Superga and where to find them, click here.