Customizers and restorers are not unfamiliar terms to sneakerheads. In Europe and America, there are a number of shops that provide these services. But in this part of the world, customizers and restorers are hard to come by.
The heads behind Sole Excess are here to fill up that gap; Din the loud giant, Afiq who is well versed in all things related to streetwear and Izzy the quiet perfectionist. If you have been looking for a place to customize your kicks or to restore that beat up shoe you have in your closet, look no more.
MassesMY recently interviewed Sole Excess to find out what makes them tick and the reasons why they started in the first place.
How did you guys come up with the name Sole Excess and how did you guys meet?
Din – We have all known each other for some years now but I can’t remember when and how. The topic of starting Sole Excess as a group started a month ago while we were hanging out at Darusallam (mamak in Subang Jaya, SS15) and we were talking about how hard it is for sneakerheads to find a place where their kicks could be cleaned and restored. So we decided to form Sole Excess to cater to their needs. As a bonus, Afiq does sneaker customizing. I’m sure you all have seen his earlier work (AM90 ‘Tiffany’ and the Givenchy inspired AF1).
As for the name Sole Excess, Afiq also came up with the name. The idea being that we would have total ‘access’ to the sneakers and that our customers would trust us with our work. We changed the word ‘access’ to ‘excess’ because we thought it would be more… appealing to sneakerheads.
Who or what inspired you to get into customizing?
Izzy: I have a degree in fine arts. It’s always been my passion and hobby to paint sneakers.
Din: It all started with King of Sneakers and also Afiq because he mentored me. He (Afiq) taught me the tips and tricks of customizing and restoring.
Afiq: I can definitely name a few. Sabotage, Emanuel Lobo, JBF and Dank Customs are people who inspired me because of the way they used different materials and colors to come up with something really special. JBF’s work especially because I really like the details and materials in his work.
Shoe customizers are known for their different styles. From croc skin patterns to denim, hybrid mash-ups (think AF1/Jordan 5 custom from Mache), there are many variations out there in the world of sneaker customizing. How will Sole Excess stand out among the crowd?
Afiq: Hmmm… maybe we could use human skin? Haha that’a joke. We are still new so we are still learning.
Izzy: We are a team so we are thinking of what kind of details, textures and strokes that will make us different. Like you said, most customs you can think of has been done. Not impossible but we will eventually come up with something. For now, we will just continue what we love doing.
What are your future plans in terms of marketing? Will it be done by word of mouth, setting up your own shop, shoe customizing workshops, new projects etc.?
Izzy: Social media like Instagram and Facebook, workshops and sneaker related events. Maybe this interview with you guys from Masses? Haha. Actually, we just want it to be natural because sneakerheads will eventually come to us as we fulfill a service that’s much needed in the local sneaker scene.
Who are known shoe customizers you would like to work with in future and why?
Afiq: Again, JBF. He puts a lot of time and effort in his work. As you know, he’s famous for his python customs and doing that isn’t easy at all. He definitely has a skillset that I really admire.
Izzy: AmmoSkunk because he started out as a restorer, just like us, and the details on his customs are amazing.
Din: FBCC, because his work appeals to me. Another guy would be our very own local artist, JanggutBear. Although he’s not a typical sneaker customizer, he illustrates sneakers in his very own special unique way and I really hope we could work something out in future with him.
Share your thoughts/opinions on the local sneaker culture.
Afiq: There are more sellers than buyers. Most of them (sellers) buy sneakers only to sell them at insane prices. They are spoiling the market and for young sneakerheads who can’t afford the prices, it’s a real shame.
Izzy: I think most people who are buying sneakers are just for the hype or just to resell. People should be in it for the love of sneakers and not see it as a potential cash cow.
Din: I actually have a more positive view of the sneaker scene. The sneaker community has grown. Our neighbor Singapore, has annual sneaker events which should happen more often here in Malaysia as well. But like I said, it’s growing and as for resellers, if there’s a buyer who’s willing to buy, who can argue? It’s their (buyers) money so we should also respect resellers as it’s a business for them.
Do you have any advice for those looking to start in the world of customizing?
Din: Don’t do it, leave it to us. Haha. Jokes aside, do your research regarding pricing and if you are a smoker, smoke as it helps to calm your hands. Have lots of patience and practice because it’s a steep learning curve if you want to be good.
Afiq: Do research about customizing. There are many ways to learn such as YouTube and forums. Always strive to improve because there’s always someone better out there. I even bought a sewing machine to practice my craft!
Izzy: My advice would be to have these essential tools: acrylic paint, an exacto knife and a hair dryer. You can’t go wrong with these items.
In your opinion, what are the hardest shoes to customize in terms of material, color and texture?
Din: Personally, canvas sneakers.
Afiq: To restore, shoes made with suede. When it comes to customizing, nothing is hard except the idea you have that you want to implement. It also depends on what you plan to do, are you just changing the colorway or changing the materials on the shoe? But if I had to name them it would be Air Jordan 3 and Air Jordan 4 because of the stitching.
What are the challenges you have faced as a customizer and restorer?
Afiq: We’re not a factory so don’t expect the shoes to come back looking like the first day you bought them. Also, we’re not superheroes like the Flash. Don’t expect restoration of shoes or customized kicks to be delivered the next day. That’s not going to happen for 2 reasons: 1, I have a day job and 2, I do my customizing so that the sneakers come back to you looking good. Cleaning the layers, the midsoles, the mesh or leather, all of it takes time.
Din: I have to agree with Afiq. The shoes aren’t going to come out looking exactly the same as it did before. There will be a little bit of a difference so our clients will have to expect that. We look at the same shoes for 5 hours straight and it can be tiring. People have to understand it’s customizing / restoring NOT remaking. It can be stressful at times but at the end of the day, it’s my passion for the game that keeps me going.
Izzy: Some people find it hard to understand that the process takes time. For example, people who want the aged soles of their Air Jordan 11s looking fresh and new again, but don’t know that it has to be soaked under the sun and that it takes a considerable amount of time for it to look the way they want it. I take pride in my work as well when it comes to repainting a sneaker as the paint strokes has to be done carefully and precisely.
Here’s a random question, what are the annoying facts you have found out about each other while working as a group?
Din: Afiq is too passionate about his work and Izzy is a too much of a perfectionist especially when it comes to his ‘stroking’. But clients should be happy because their annoying quirks actually translate to good results.
Afiq: Din wants to learn but sometimes he can ask too many questions. He has even called me at 2 in the morning to ask a question! But it’s actually a good quality to have when you want to learn something. But then it’s not so fun when you are the one who has to answer, haha. As for Izzy, he can go missing at times, like not answering his phone calls or showing up much later in the day.
Izzy: I can sum my partners up in 4 words. They talk too much. Hahaha!
Last question, if things start going very well for Sole Excess and it becomes a lucrative business; will you quit your daytime job?
Izzy: Yes, hands down because it has always been my dream and passion. But I do feel that the price of customizing a shoe may deter a number of people because they don’t understand the heavy amount of time and work that goes into customizing.
Din: I’m not too sure; it’s a 50/50 thing. Sole Excess started out as a hobby for us, as a way to express our creativity and passion in sneakers. So I guess sticking to my daytime job would be a much safer option.
Afiq: No, because I think customizing and restoration of sneakers are seasonal. What happens when demand drops? This is Malaysia and the scene here isn’t as mature as America or Europe. I’d like to keep my daytime job and besides, I like my current job.
