SXH: What is a normal day for you?

C-LAW: Now that I work for Adidas (I was offered a job over in Portland just after I had done the range), it depends on what time of the season it is. It could be colouring up CADS, doing new model designs, overlooking apparel design, range planning, chatting shit with Mo and Klein or going home for a ‘beans on toast’ lunch with the kids. I cant really say much on what I do, as all that I have done so far hasn’t seen light of day yet as we work so far in advance, I tend to get involved with the more ‘heads’ stuff too that will be coming out in the US and some stuff that comes out from Germany.

SXH:  You were involved with CT for sometime, and given it was really the first sneaker website, how do you feel things have changed since you first became involved?
 
C-LAW: When we started it, we did it out of love, there weren’t that many boutiques about around 1999/2000, so we were sort of there at the start of what it is now. Things have changed so much, the thing I think that ruins it now for me though is that everything is so worldwide now, every store has the same exact stuff, you don’t get excited about traveling to spots anymore as it’s the same, unless your hitting some mom and pops places, that’s always a treat, although they’ve all been pretty much rinsed by locals in the know.

SXH:  CT has managed to keep its credibility in a sneaker world full of hate through staying true to its mission statement as such, what are your personal feelings of the way the sneaker culture as evolved?
 
C-LAW: It seems now that anyone with extra cash can rack up a good shelf stack now, it’s a bit plastic sometimes when you see what people show off, too many hype sheep followers and not enough individual tastes.

SXH:  You’ve designed a number of shoes throughout your time, what have been your favorites and what do you consider as the most important aspect of designing a shoe? Also what design (if any) are you ashamed to admit came from your genius.
 
C-LAW: My faves are these ones I’ve just done they’ve got my name on it, the first New Balances will always be cool as that was our first go (although we did do a CT Blazer way back in the beginning – well photoreals anyway- that fell though). The CT New Balances with Bees artwork were cool, although the boxes are probably better than the shoes. The CT Adicolor was a good idea with the changeable tongues as that was what the original Adicolor idea was meant to be – personal customization. Although they f’d up with the damn things squeaking (Stick some masking tape on the underside of the eyestay). The CT Clydes came out nice (I’ve got some special one offs I did that are mental – a Beat Street Clyde in yellow, pink and black and an Al Naafiysh ‘The Sole’ pair of States. I’m proud of all of them, they all sold very well, so I can’t complain.

SXH:  Its not just shoes you design? What are your favorite products to work on?
 
C-LAW: Jackets without a doubt are my second love and bikes, I have 3 20”ers, 2 24”ers and 1 26”er (BMX’s), I love to do more Co-Labs with Bike companies. I’d love to own my own garage specializing in restoring and upgrading vintage Minis Coopers (the car, and not the BMW fake), I’ve had quite a few, they are a passion for me, I can get well geeked out on them.

 

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