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 โ 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. ๐
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 โ 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 โ my own super amateur version, obviously โ 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. ๐คฆโโ๏ธ
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?
