The Design

Before I explain my own perspective in designing the sneakers, I want to stress that there is no singular or "correct" way to view these. Ultimately, the goal is for the art to speak for itself, so I hope that I left ample room to interpret and draw parallels to your own life.

With lime green being the official color of mental health awareness, I felt that shades of green would be an appropriate and consistent color scheme. The right shoe (the “positive” component) features lime green, while we see progressively darker shades of green on the right shoe that reflect a more “negative” side. Both shoes exhibit the same color blocking, with the upper toe box and midfoot areas remaining white, as well as the tongue, laces, lining, midsole, and outsole. This leaves the ankle, side toe box, and lace loop areas painted a given shade of green.

For the design itself, as alluded to before, I took a twofold approach using each shoe to express contrasting ideas. The left shoe represents the socially embraced attitude of overachievement and competitiveness. It’s divided into two parts, split right down the middle of the shoe, in an attempt to convey perception versus reality.

The outside portrays our ideals shaped by society telling us how to think and act. The type of green used is a kelly green, symbolizing money. The Nike swoosh is gold, for the gold standards we are constantly expected to attain. It is filled with the phrase, “never settle,” typical words of motivation but also a mindset that could push one past his/her limits. The entire outside portion of the shoe has a glossy finish, which is meant to represent perfection and flawlessness (while the rest of the shoe is matte). The entire toe box has black outlined arrows pointing forward, emphasizing the nonstop forward push and pursuit of more.

However, as we make our way around the toe box and examine the inside of the shoe, these arrows become backwards. This represents the direction our mental health goes as a result of leading such lifestyles. The green also turns into a much darker, gloomier shade. The gold swoosh has been cut up and squeezed into the inner white section, giving off the sense of being broken and trapped. The entire ankle area is filled with white ghosts watching and haunting the viewer. All of these elements communicate how what the outer portion portrayed can severely harm our mental health, pushing us further back in the search for fulfillment.

The right shoe, on the other hand, portrays a lifestyle characterized by self-care and tranquility. As I mentioned before, the main color is lime green blocked with white. The outside swoosh contains the phrase, “take a breather,” in bolded white font. It’s a simple, commonplace piece of advice, but similar to the “never settle,” I wanted to underscore its meaning and implications–sort of redefining it as a call to step away from our hectic, fast-paced lives and allocate time for ourselves. However, these words, as well as any other element of the sneaker, are not meant to oversimplify or trivialize mental health.

Similar to the left shoe, there is a design painted all around the toe box. This time, it is a series of cartoon people in varying pastel colors, mimicking the style of Keith Haring. The figures themselves are performing a variety of actions, such as dancing, piggyback riding, and putting their arms around one another. I hoped to give life and movement to the shoe, while subtly conveying the importance of human interaction and healthy relationships.

As we work our way around the shoe, the lime green remains prominent. The inside swoosh contains wavy grass along the bottom, and a baby blue sky. This simple, calm scene gives a relaxing feel to the shoe and reflects what the outer swoosh suggests.