Meet The Finalists In The Next Sneaker Design Star Contest

What we've all been waiting for...

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Last month we introduced you to The Next Sneaker Design Star contest, which will place a talented young designer in a multi-day apprenticeship at an American sneaker company. Today, in addition to announcing that Reebok Classic will be that brand, we’re giving you the chance to meet the three finalists and check out their work.

Complex’s own Russ Bengtson has selected this triumvirate, whose standout sketches now appear over the next three slides in a toe-to-toe-to-toe battle. But at the end of the day, it’s up to you to pick the winner by voting for your favorite original sneaker design. Here we go.

Daniel Raes

Hometown: Slater, Iowa
Twitter: @DanielRaes

Personal Statement: I was born and raised in a small town in Iowa and have been dreaming of being a footwear designer since I was 11. Ever since then I have been surfing sneaker blogs and buying up any shoes I liked. I got a job at Foot Locker and a degree in Industrial Design from Iowa State University. Now here I am searching for a job that will give me a chance to do what I love. It’s not just about being a sneakerhead for me, it’s about designing a pair of shoes that will make someone else feel the way I feel about sneakers.

Design Inspiration: The Rocketeer is a shoe designed for the Rocketeer character, if he ever decides to ditch his boots. The high top silhouette and EVA midsole give the shoe a casual and comfortable feel, while the materials and details dress it up. It features a simple suede upper with padded sections on the ankles and tongue for comfort and three-dimensional aesthetics. Leather elements include the lining and a lace stay inspired by backpack tabs. The molded midsole allows for comfort and flexibility in a variety of situations. Overall, the shoe tells the story of the Rocketeer’s classic leather aviator jacket while incorporating a modern-day appeal.

Shedrick Turner

Hometown: Atlanta, Ga.
Twitter: @kidospizike

Personal Statement: Designing just comes natural. Growing up I’ve always had kid-like tendencies. Drawing made me joyful, happy and kind, which opened my world with a balance I can grasp at any moment. It makes me a man of God and faith, and forces me to believe nothing can hold me back because I know when playtime is over and when to pick up the books and do homework.

Design Inspiration: As a designer, I’m always constantly sketching and thinking of different ways to innovate within the footwear industry. What I’ve learned through my exploration in footwear is that one fact remains true, and that is there are so many ways to cultivate design. This is a marker rendering I did of a shoe inspired by running. It actually started off as an exploration sketch, but as I started exploring the mechanics of motion, placement, comfort and style, I started to draw what I felt was right. Rubber traction tabs to displace pressure, a mesh vamp and back for breathability and midsole pistons for style.

Oliver Vranesh

Hometown: Washington, D.C.
Twitter: @ollie_v33

Personal Statement: I’m a student of basketball and architecture. I’m a lover of design, sneakers, music, traveling, video games, and hamburgers. I also hope to be on Jeopardy one day.

Design Inspiration: I wanted to design something fresh but classic, so I went for the old school basketball profile look. As an architect student I really dig Carlos Scarpa’s work, so I wanted to blend that in subtly as well. The upper consists of pretty standard materials – synthetic leather and suede. The midsole wraps up the heel and contains Scarpa-like elements throughout (like the offsets). The outsole is made out of gum rubber and has a Scarpa-esque stair motif that runs throughout.

Voting

Now that you’ve seen the three finalists hoping to become The Next Sneaker Design Star, it’s time for you to decide which designer is worthy of an apprenticeship at Reebok Classic. All you need to do is check the box next to your favorite design and hit ‘Vote.’ Share your votes on social, and be entered to win prizes like a $250 Karmaloop gift card or a fresh pair of kicks.