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Sneaker customization sure isn't new, but over the last year it has come to commercial prominence through various sneaker boutiques selling various artists efforts. This has been a natural progression for these stores who must stay ahead of their competitiors by offering something different - a true limited edition. Working under the name SBTG, Singaporean designer Mark Ong had rapidly made a name for himself as a sneaker customiser of some note. Having just collaborated with Tokyo sneaker legends Chapter and Atmos, and Singapore street wear boutique Ambush, he gives us the lowdown on his work. |
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How long have you been collecting sneakers? I can’t really tell you exactly how long, as I have been a sneaker addict since I was a kid. But I have been buying intensively ever since I could afford to, which was during like 95-96 where there was an AM95 frenzy. It was the birth of buying old sneakers at prices twice to ten time the OG retail. What are your prize shoes? AJ1 red/white/black. What's your sneaker holy grail? It used to be the Terminator George Towns but now that they are retroing it, Nike Dynasty in green/white (with the straps). How did you get into doing customs? I remember my very first custom that I did back in the days when I was a kid. I got a pair of Nikes (I forgot what model, looked like the Agassi shoe but I’m sure it wasn’t) that were mostly white, with like poison green sole and details, the uppers were all white and I just thought that something was incomplete about them. I got a paint marker and painted the Swoosh; they became (I thought) the illest joints in the neighbourhood. Then came the skating days. It was like the 91-92 period where skaters where dying for midcuts. Cats would cut their Vans full Cabs to a mid cut till Vans finally made the half Cab for em. I had my electric blue Airwalk velocity's hi's; I ripped the lace savers, cut the top off, painted the base black and the Airwalk logo yellow. The best part was instead of duck taping the top to hide the revealing sponge inners, I stitched it. It was sealed like an OG. That broke some necks! There was also the vintage OG era in 96-97 where I got myself a pair of white/grey Legends. At that time, if you had OG Nikes with colour...you were the shit! But I could only afford whities, so when I was at a sneaker repair store and I came across this black leather dye, I copped it and my Legends became this white/black team convention look-alike.. |
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Was it hard to find the right type of paint? Leather dye was glossy, much like faded patent leather. The bottle might say it’s matte but its still mad glossy. Next to it was acrylic paint. It made sense using it due to its properties and all. It ain’t that hard actually; everything is just out there for you to buy. You just have to read, ask and make more trips down to the supply store. I would say preparing the leather is the most tedious and crucial part. What do you think sets your designs apart? At first my designs are very vintage/OG inspired. Well it still is up till now. Then I started with my own colours. It is the subconscious vibe that you create looking at the colours. Then I started adding in the SBTG logo( the two faces). I could say that was really something that no one has done. My first try was for the Diptych for the Niketalk custom comp. That pair took my soul away. All my energy was sucked into that shoe, but well the first try is always a bitch to do. The Atmos ones were much easier. Then I came into more detail...there were endless things I could to make customs complete; so many rules to bend. I came up with embroidered logo tags, logo straps (viz. AF1 hi), insoles, boxes, box tags, laces, hang tags even...etc....it is endless..I’m working on lace clips now...there is just so much work and thought pumped in to make each custom shoe worth buying. |
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Tell us about your recent collaboration with Ambush, Atmos and Chapter? All thanks to my man Earn and Big Al from Ambush for hooking me up!!! Earn has always been a kind supporter of my work. He used to let me display my paintings and my customised 12" dolls in the store. So he saw my AF1 Safari's on ya site and then the DIPTYCH's on NT. He showed it to the boys at Atmos and Chapter and I took off instantly. I was stoked! I accepted the job right away and I panicked when the shoes came. It was aiight; I had my boys BLTX and Charlie to help. It wouldn’t happen without ‘em. Thanks boys!!! How did you name each shoe? I had my ideas naming ‘em and what kinda vibe I want ‘em named but mostly it was the genius BLTX that came up with the right words at the right time. My fav’ was the name Vacuum Tracer (for Chapter); it was named after a bullet. I did a sample called DOOMSDAY initially but the design got rejected. We were full swing at production and I couldn’t think of a name...so I got this text message on my cell and there ya go...Vacuum tracer!!! there is also the whole colourway naming to do..we do the name of the shoe first and then the colours to boost the vibe and feel of the name..it is all so exciting. How long does it take to do a custom? This really varies. There are many factors. it is all different depending on hi cut, low cut, model and cutting of the shoe, how much texture to be added, but I can give a rough example. The AF1 safari took about 16 hours (first try on the texture) and the DIPTYCH (first try) took like 48 hours.. well I guess I could do all these models much faster now... It must spin you out seeing your stuff up on Yahoo Japan? Oh yes, I was in Tokyo when I saw it! 198,000yen!!! that’s insane!!! I flipped. But what really spun me was the STREETJACK article/spread that Earn discovered at 7-11. Which of your customs is your favourite? I love em all, but I gotta give the DIPTYCH more attention, that was the pair where I lost my sole to.. I rock em frequently. You also design T shirts right? Can you tell us about that part of your work? Yeah I do a lotta tee shirts for different companies...It is crazy to reveal the amount of designs I have to do a month but that’s my main job. I’m lovin’ it and it’s what I do. What do you have planned next? I’m still working on a line for SBTG which is what I had planned SBTG to be back in 97. I have all the sources ready but I’m just waiting for the right time to strike. In the meantime, there are more customs to be done for the next few months. So it’s back to the dungeon... |
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RTHQ October 2003 |
