The Los Angeles Nike Bespoke Experience

The first known use of the word bespoke appeared in 1607 and was in reference to custom-made suits. Today, the meaning of bespoke has expanded beyond suits and now applies to any one-off creation. This can include a bespoke software program, a bespoke jacket, or in this case, a pair of shoes.

Normally reserved for those willing to travel to New York, the Nike Bespoke experience made a limited-time stop in Los Angeles and invited several local sneakerheads to create a custom Nike Air Force 1. With nothing but ideas in their head, they all headed to the Nike Vault at Staples Center to create a shoe unlike any other. With a plethora of material choices and color options, the end result can vary from simple and plain to audacious and gaudy; and everything in between. We took the time to talk to a few of the collectors that participated in the experience, and these are their stories.

Also check out Nike Bespoke on Complex TV's QUICKSTRIKE below.

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Tyree Dillihay, aka SN'eadsByRee, is best known in the sneaker culture as the creator of the sneaker comic SN'eads. In addition to creating hilarious comics, Tyree also directs episodes of Bob's Burger on Fox.

How would you explain the Bespoke experience?

It was cool. Chillin with my dude Izzy. Going through all the colors and materials. All the options basically. I narrowed some options down and got up out of there.

Did you already have an idea of what you wanted to do?

It was more of an organic thing. We put together a couple of designs and ultimately landed on this one. I definitely have more coming. For this model, I wanted to include parts of SN'eads with a taste of Los Angeles.

What would you say is your favorite part about your design?

It has to be the lasering. I added the SN'eads logo on the back. Lasered on the heel tab.

As a collector, what is your favorite shoe in your collection?

It is the Black/Cement Air Jordan III They are classic and you can wear them with anything.

Where can people find you online?

Twitter/Instagram is @SneadsByRee

Carlos works for a local retailer, Shoe Palace, in Los Angeles. He collects shoes and works with shoes, and as he says, "everything I do has some involvement with shoes."

Bespoke Experience. First thought that comes to mind?

It was something else. Very cool. You walk in and see a bunch of material on the table. You feel like you are designing a shoe. I guess in a sense I was. It was like a dream. I think every person that is into shoes always thinks they can make the perfect shoe and talks about how a company should have done this or that. This really lets you pick out literally every detail about the shoe down to the stitching. They make it just how you want it.

What was your inspiration for your Bespoke?

Going into it, I was thinking a bunch of different things. I didn't have an exact thing that I was inspired by, so I just picked something that I liked. I have a thing for gold, so I put some gold in there. I put some croc in there for the luxurious look. But I also wanted to make something that I could wear all the time. I had these ideas for some wild colors. Red or green or whatever, but with my first one, I wanted to make something I could wear more than once.

Would you like to see the Bespoke experience come to L.A. permanently?

I would love for it to come out here. Now I am itching to go to NY. I have ideas for three more right now. If it came to L.A., it would be a lot easier for me.

How many pairs of sneakers do you think you have?

I am not sure. I get rid of some when I get new pairs. Not that many. I would say like 120.

Favorite sneaker?

The Air Jordan 1. In the OG colorway.

Where can people find you online?

On Instagram it is @C_Los626

Max is a Los Angeles based sneaker collector who works in marketing.

What was the Nike Bespoke experience like for you?

In a nutshell, it's class. It's complete customization as the name "Bespoke" suggests. It is a unique experience. I recommend everybody, if you are able to, to definitely partake in it.

What was your inspiration for the shoe?

My Bespoke was inspired by my fraternity colors. Blue and gold. I'm an Alpha Sigma. The initial process was to find materials that were higher grade or plush. From that, I worked with Izzy and Mark and the palettes they had with the materials they had available. We looked for those and homed into a particular color. I literally didn't know what I was going to do when I came in. Things just coalesced as we were doing the design experience.

What was your favorite part of the design experience?

The ability to really figure out and conceptualize the shoe to how you really want it to look. Even with that, they do renders, it is not anywhere close to being able to touch/feel the swatches. It is nothing like when you have the actual shoe in hand. To be able to see it. To answer your question, the design and then fast-forward to when you see the product come to fruition.

How many pairs of shoes would you say that you have?

Last time I counted, it was upwards of 750.

Of that 750, which is your favorite?

There are a few of those that I really like. It is like that cliché question about which of your kids do you love the most. These will be up there now just because of the actual experience, but a couple of one-of-one Jordans, a couple Sole Collector collabs, but if I had to pick one, it would be my White/Cement IIIs. Those were the first shoes that I really, really wanted.

How can people find you online?

On Twitter/Instagram it is @Iskam13.

Fran, aka Franalations, is a well-known sneaker reviewer in Los Angeles and is best known for his videos on Youtube.

Now this isn't your first Bespoke. Talk to us about that?

This is actually my fifth Bespoke. All of them have been focused around video games. The first three were focused around Pokemon. They were starter characters. For those that played the game, those are the characters that you start the game off with. The next one was based on World of Warcraft. I've been playing since its release date, so that was something special to me. For this one, I went back to the Pokemon theme. It is the hidden Pokemon at the end of the game, Mew. A legendary Pokemon, and I figured what better way to do a cool rare shoe then to use a rare Pokemon. For me, it linked up with something that I like, so that is what I did.

How was the experience?

The Bespoke experience is amazing. The process takes a few hours. When you are in the design studio, they tell you ideas about which colors work with which materials over another one. It is really like comparable to the collaboration experience with Nike. They are very helpful and have a lot of experience in design. They help your creation become a reality.

Outside of the Air Force 1, what is your favorite sneaker?

I am a big SB Dunk collector. I would have to go to with a Dunk Mid. I am also a fan of the Air Force 1 and I am happy I had the chance to do another one.

How many kicks would you say you have in your collection?

I know that I have 800 pairs. I recently did a count and this will be 801.

Where can people find you?

On Youtube.com/franalations, Franalations.com, and on Twitter @Franalations23

Gerrick, better known as ShoeAffliction, is an elementary school teacher in Los Angeles and loves to collect shoes as a hobby.

How would you explain the Nike Bespoke Experience?

It was my first experience. I'd heard good things from a lot of friends and I had a great time. To me it really wasn't about the shoe as much as it was about the whole experience. Designing. Meeting the designer.

What were some of your inspirations for the shoe?

I wanted to keep it simple. That's my style. I'm not too loud. I chose the colors and materials based on what I think are the best materials and colors that Nike offers. I chose obsidian blue because I think Nike does the best with that color. The same goes for the grey and the mix of the leather and suede. Nike does a really great job with all of those. How would you rate the Bespoke experience? It was great. I really loved it. One of the best I've had as far as sport and sneakers and things like that.

Do you think the Bespoke experience should come to L.A.?

Definitely. There are a lot of sneaker guys here who would love for it to be in L.A. Once I heard that it was coming here, i had to jump on it. You never know. It might not come back here again, so I wanted to be a part of it.

What is your favorite sneaker in your collection?

For me it has to be the Jordan III. Nothing fancy, just the White/Cement or True Blue. That was my very first Jordan. To me it goes back to my childhood. That's the one that started it rolling for me.

Where can people find you if they want to talk sneakers?

Twitter/Instagram I am ShoeAffliction. Same goes for Facebook.

Chris is a television producer in Los Angeles that works on shows that air on ESPN.

How would you explain the Bespoke program for the Nike Air Force 1?

Great. I really did my homework coming in and really put some thought into what would go into the shoe. I am from Ohio, so my thing was to infuse some of Ohio State colors and the Buckeye into the shoe. I didn't want to make it a school shoe, but at least a nod to where I've been and where I came from.

What would you say is your favorite details about the shoe?

One of the things we tried to incorporate was the Buckeye, but we didn't want to replicate it. So we turned it into a bit of a C, which is my initial. We put it on the tongue, and to go with it, the laces match that olive green color. Is is a subtle nod to Ohio State, while still keeping it customized for me.

With so many options, how do you decide?

Izzy (the Nike Bespoke designer) did a great job of helping me. I brought in some reference. I brought in some looks that I like, some materials, some colors, and one we narrowed that down it helped. The color palette was easy. But he definitely helped guide me as far as the different material and how to map it out on the shoe. He was really great about that. We wanted it to be clean, but also have a custom look. That is where some of the details came in like on the stitching to make it feel more custom. We didn't want to get overly complicated with the colors and materials.

Is this something you would like to see come to Los Angeles?

Absolutely. I've told all my friends about the experience, and of course they didn't know, and they were asking how they could do it. Everyone is pretty stoked and I can't wait to show these off around the office.

Where can people see some of your work?

Just go to a sports bar and turn on ESPN and there is all the kinda stuff that we do.

Leo is a sneaker collector in Los Angeles and is a wholesaler. He like to keep a low profile and definitely loves his kicks.

How was the Bespoke experience?

It was amazing. It was crazy. This is my first pair of Bespokes and I pretty much didn't know what I was doing. I had a couple of ideas, but nothing for sure. But when I walked in, they helped me flesh them out and design the shoe. It was a great pleasure.

What was the final inspiration for your shoe?

Beauty and the Beast. The first thing we created was the beast. So the top eyelet is red like an actual eye. We also went with animal print on the tongue. Zebra print on the tongue. Black croc on the tongue tag. We also have gold dragon scale along the overlays. On the outsole, we have like four dots that represent the animal's paws. The brown suede represents the beauty as well as the dark brown cork. We mostly kept it clean with more black croc for the Nike Swoosh and heel.

What was your favorite part about the Bespoke experience?

The design process. The designer helped me out with the ideas. At first I really wasn't sure how or what to do, but they really helped me out. He really me flesh out my ideas. He really took his time and helped me out step by step. We played with different colors and materials and he really helped me out. It was his idea to red out the top eyelets.

Would you recommend the Bespoke experience to any of your friends?

(Laughs) Definitely. All of my friends.

What is your favorite pair of kicks in your collection?

That is a hard question. I'll go with the Jordan V Tokyo. That's probably my favorite pair. In regards to Air Force 1s, it is just all white.

Where can people find you online?

Instagram is @The_Vaults

Afrokix, as he is better known in the sneaker community, is an avid Air Force 1 collector. His collection rivals some of the greatest we have ever seen and he is proud of it. Hasaan is also the buyer for Men's Land, a regional chain of stores in Los Angeles.

Is this your first Bespoke Experience?

This is my second time. I did a pair in 2009 for my 30th birthday. I flew to New York with my best friend and it was a great experience. Happy we had a chance to do it here.

How would you explain the Bespoke Experience?

I have nothing to compare it to. It is a very unique experience. I am a big Air Force 1 head. I love Air Force 1s. Just that fact that you can do pretty much whatever you want to do with the [pauses for a second]...I wish I had the words. As far as my shoe experiences go, it is probably the best, By far. By far the best.

What was the inspiration for your shoe?

Actually it was the kente cloth. its funny, I was looking for inspiration and I went through my graduation pictures and I had the kente cloth around me and I was like there it is. I actually have it with me on my phone. For every color, I chose a different material. The red, the yellow, the green, the black, the white, the pink.

You have the red viper snakeskin, the yellow tumbled leather, the pink is actually velvet. You have the zebra on the swoosh to represent Africa. That is actually where I am from. Then you have the gator swoosh on the other side. Both well-known African animals. Maharam Digi-Camo on the outline on the inside of the shoe. I just made sure each color was going to be a different material. I don't mind going crazy. So I was like, "Lets give it a try."

What detail would you say you love the most?

The heel. I liked to call myself "Africa's Finest Sneakerhead", because that is where I am from. Definitely behind the shoe, that is what defines me the most. So I have the African map (on the right heel) and the Islamic symbol (on the left heel). I am African, born and raised, and I am Muslim. Those are the two number 1 things about me.

How long have you been collecting sneaker and about how many do you have?

Like every other kid, I grew up loving kicks. But seriously getting into the sneaker culture, I would say 2004. I want to say that I have give or take about 700 pairs.

Where can people find you?

On Instagram/Twitter it is @Afrokix. They can also find me at Men's Land on Crenshaw, I am there six days a week.

Will, better known as KingPoetic01 in the sneaker community is the owner of a clothing line and also helps out at The Holy Grail in Los Angeles. A collector for as long as he can remember, he was more than excited to be one of the first in Los Angeles to participate in the Bespoke experience.

How would you explain the Bespoke experience?

It was crazy. With this being my first time taking part in the Bespoke experience, it was a little overwhelming. It was exhilarating, it was exciting. I was just ready to jump out my skin. You have a table of different materials and different things and you have so many different ideas. And at the end of it all you have to pick the one and the thing that you really like.

What was the inspiration for your shoe?

I went in with an open mind. I had an idea of what I wanted, but in reality I thought about different things. Just to give you an example [points at shoe], the paisley represents me because I am a colorful individual. I love colors and I am all over the place because I do different things and stay in motion every day of my life. The solid colors are 3M. Those are for my son because he is who keeps me solid and keeps me sane. The dark blue canvas was specifically for him because it is his favorite color. His initials are on the tongue. I did it for him. I came in with an open mind, but I wanted it to represent me as well. I picked the cork because of the speckles and it represents me.

As a collector, how many pairs would you say that you have?

I stopped counting at 500. I really don't know. Ball park would be about 800-900.

In your collection, which would be your favorite?

Every shoe that I own has a special meaning behind it. It is not just a shoe. It is a representation of me. I like all of them. I don't discriminate.

Regarding the Bespoke experience and your design, what was your favorite part?

That is a tough one because I like everything. If I had to pick one, it would have to be the paisley.

Where can people find you online?

Twitter and Instagram is KingPoetic01 and they can also find me at KingPoetic.com.