These shoes are an example of splatter application, one of Chris Hui's favorite designs.

How has the business aspect of C2 Customs developed since the beginning?
It started out as a hobby in which I made money, and then turned into a full-fledged small, private business. Now it’s kind of back to its roots where it’s a hobby, something I do every now and then, but it’s a thing I don’t really try to earn money with anymore. It’s kind of gone like a rollercoaster in terms of how much I actually pursue it in terms of a business.

Do you need a license to alter Nike shoes?
Nike is really supportive of people like me. They once hired me to paint at a shoe event they were hosting. The majority of the time I still maintain the Nike logo on the shoes. It’s more like my work on their canvas. There is no license or paperwork required.

Do you have a favorite pair of shoes you have designed?
I have two. One is the Nike Air Force One I designed after Andre Agassi’s signature line of tennis shoes from the early 90s. If you see the shoes from the right they look black and pink and if you see them from the left they looked black and blue. The second is actually a series of shoes featuring the Simpson’s doughnut theme, a signature design of mine. They came out exactly how I imagined.

Do you have any advice for people getting started in a smaller market like Milwaukee?
It kind of sucks. The majority of things I’ve done that have got me places have either occurred in Chicago, New York, Los Angeles, Japan, or Australia. But I feel like starting in Milwaukee may have been an advantage because I wasn’t swallowed up by overwhelming competition or a market already set in place. When people find out I’m from Wisconsin it adds to the uniqueness of my work and to me as a person.

Where do your design ideas come from?
A majority of them come from sneaker culture itself, basically through looking at the past and present of famous sneaker models and designs. There are a variety of different patterns, color lays and compositions that are iconic to sneaker collectors like myself.

To go back to “C2 Customs: If the Shoe Fits, Paint It,” click here.