Sister 2 Sister (2) Pics and Recap...

Our second Sister 2 Sister all-female sneaker design seminar just wrapped on Wednesday with an exclusive insiders' look at the Converse Headquarters. Over 20 female Converse staff showed us their roles in taking kicks from market research to material design, product development and onto our feet! Thanks Converse...


Over the weekend we had 20+ amazing participants and 9 mentor teachers working away at improving our skills drawing and designing sneakers...

Draw, draw, draw! Imani was one of 10 middle schoolers showing it's never too young to start becoming a sneaker designer!

This design team was challenged to come up with a new brand; here they're doing some market research and looking for inspiration...


As always, the weekend includes loads of one-on-one mentoring. Here Sabrina (left), from MassArt, gets tips from Layla Hassoun from Sperry Topsider.

Kathleen O'Donnell from RISD shows off her final design.

For more images and stories from the weekend, click here.

Many thanks to our fantastic mentor teachers, hard-working participants, and generous sponsors: Abekam, Karmaloop, No. 2 Foundation and Pensole!

Thanks also to our fabulous hosts, MassArt, for having us back again!

And last but not least, thanks to our photographers, Natanya Khashan and Felicia Eason.

Sister 2 Sister from A to Z

Sister 2 Sister, the first ever all-female sneaker design seminar was an amazing process from start to finish. Dynamic energy filled the room as 17 aspiring designers honed their skills with the help of 7 fabulous designers from across the industry.


Day 1 included:

--the Assignment: use only paper and pencil to design your signature shoe: what sneaker doesn't exist that would reflect you and make your daily life better?

Our participants were challenged to work extensively on form.

--the Panel: our mentor-teacher designers generously shared stories about how they got into the industry, what it's like, and what advice they wish they'd gotten...

Panel participants included Pamela (Rbk), Shaona (Rbk), Alice (Rbk), Ann (Converse), Sara (Puma) and (not shown): Ashley (Nike) and Leyla (Sperry Topsider)

--the Networking Gathering: a chance for all of us to hang out, get to know each other and chill to great music and delicious barbeque at the Design Studio for Social Intervention

Participant Sarah Sabino also hung original art work at the Design Studio

Day 2 included:

--lots of work!

D'Wayne (Jordan Brand) helped make the event possible, and wasn't too busy to jump in to help Sesanii on a sketch

--Final Presentations of our Signature Shoes in front of designers, funders, friends and family

Sarah with original and final sketches

Fabiola with original (top) and final sketches

Thanks to OSD for covering and documenting the event! (We documented you too!)

More final sketches and pictures HERE.

Thanks again to:

--MassArt for hosting the event!

--Our amazing sponsors: Abekam, massImpact, Karmaloop, Pensole, No. 2 Foundation, and The Boston Foundation.

--Our amazing mentor-teachers for volunteering so much time with us!

--Our community partners who supported our high school participants! (Brighton High, Artists for Humanity, and Alisa Aronson)

--D'Wayne Edwards for his belief in the event.

Sister 2 Sister Footwear Design Seminar RECAP!!!

It was a great weekend in Boston! Nearly 20 females from NYC & Boston participated in this 1st ever, historic event! Ranging from girls still in HS & college, to customizers, & experienced designers, we all came together sharing our love of kicks & learned from some of the best female designers in the industry! Lori got together with D'Wayne Edwards of Jordan Brand, as well as top women designers from Sperry Top Sider, Reebok, Puma, Converse, and Nike to make this special event happen.

We started off with introductions & sketching what our vision of our very own sneakers would look like, and we couldn't use logos or similarities from existing brands. As a customizer I truly thought the process wasn't too tedious since I already design, but on already put together sneakers. I was wrong! My initial sketch had the shape of a griffey max and it really wasn't what I was aiming for. However, with some help from the designers, I was able to create a better form for the sneaker as well as details like piping, canvas and textured leather!

Each presentation was as unique as the participant behind it! We all took on a foreign task and came out on top!

Thank you to all of the designers who took their time out for us and shared priceless technique and tips! Welcome Sarah Sabino aka "S4" to our Boston team, and a very special extra thanks goes to you Lori for always representing & being a voice for the ladies!

MORE PICS HERE