Creations - Harford Style Magazine

816
Creations
Exclusive Designs
in Footwear by
Alexis Smith
by Anne Fullem
makeup/hair
Gisela A.
www.faceimagesstudio.com
photography & styling
Amy Jones
amyjphoto.com
13
3Harford STYLE Fall/Holiday 20144
Who knew that doodling on your shoes could become a profitable business. For eighteen yearold Alexis Smith... it was a natural progression. "I was born with a paintbrush in my hands,
and felt compelled to paint all over my clothes and shoes. When friends in school started to ask
how they could get some of my designs... it just seemed to make sense to start an etsy business,"
explained Alexis.
This young artist wasted no time in marketing her work. Her first etsy site was up and running
by the time she was fifteen. Alexis started her freshman year at Harford Community College this
Fall and is majoring in Business Sales and Advertising. "I want to work as an artist, but I need a
good business foundation to make it successful," she added. So far... so good - Alexis has managed
to sell over four hundred pairs of her custom painted Vans® sneakers and high tops to customers
all over the world.
Her shoes are in such high demand that she has had to enlist the help of her mother, Maria, to
assist in filling all the orders. "Especially around the holidays... it's really hard to keep up the pace.
We order all the shoes directly from Vans® which takes a week, and then an additional two to
three weeks to paint the design. So it takes about four weeks from the time our customers order
their shoes until they get them," smiled Alexis.
Some of her designs happened organically, and other came about with her participation in the
Vans Custom Culture Contest. The contest is a national high school shoe customization contest
where schools from all over the United States compete for a chance to win money for their
art programs. Blank Vans® sneakers are customized in four themes: Art, Music, Action Sports
and Local Flavor. Her High School teacher nominated her to participate and she submitted her
artwork 2 years in a row. Her Baltimore themed shoes with the city skyline, the state butterfly,
and lots of glitter are one such example. She is holding a pair of her Baltimore themed shoes in
her left hand on the photo on the previous page. "There are thousands of entries every year," said
Alexis. "I didn't win... but It was fun trying. The Top Five finalists are flown to New York City
for a big event. The grand prize winning school receives a $50,000 prize for their art program
and the chance for their shoes to be produced and sold in Vans®' retail stores.... which would be
so cool," she added.
Her biggest selling sneakers are "Galaxy" and "Aztec." "Galaxy is one of my easiest designs...
it's just a free form splattering of paint on a dark blue background to create a "galaxy"
effect. The Aztec design is much more complicated with lots of colors and straight
edges," explains Alexis.
Alexis has won design competitions... although not for her shoes. In 2013,
she won a contest to design the art for the Darlington Apple Festival's
official T-shirt. She also designs jewelry, focusing on whimsical
vial pendants, filled with fairy dust and adorned with charms
and glitter.
So where did Alexis get the name for her business "816
Creations"? It so happens that Alexis and her mother,
Maria, share the same birthday; August 16th. Over
the years they developed the touching tradition
of telling each other "I love you" every day at
8:16pm. "Either in person, over the phone or
by text, we do it every day, and I couldn't think
of a better name for my business," she said.
Alexis peddles her wares at local crafts festivals,
but the best way to check out her stuff is to
visit her etsy store at
www.etsy.com/shop/816Creations.
143www.harfordstyle.com4