(Custom Kicks DFW founder Laura Romero, left, with a fan at a Steve Madden Sneaker Bar event)
Laura Romero never let nap time go to waste. And it’s amazing how much creativity a mom can tap while her kids sleep. Today, the self-taught artist who carved out an unexpected career path when she jazzed up a pair of plain white Vans for her toddler as a budget birthday gift has parlayed her talent and entrepreneurial spirit into a business strategy that helps brands and retailers stand out through unique customized footwear and in-store experiences.
Romero is the founder and CEO of Custom Kicks DFW, a family-owned, Dallas-Fort Worth–based company that specializes in creating one-of-a-kind footwear by personalizing it with art techniques from paint to bedazzling, and whose clients have included Red Bull, Mercedes, and PepsiCo, to name a few.
Her company’s projects range from a back-to-school event with a local Foot Locker store in Dallas where customers could get their sneakers tailored to their tastes, to a Steve Madden Lace Bar that allowed customers who bought a pair of the designer’s shoes to embellish them for free with charms and fancy colored or print shoelaces.
“I decided to make custom shoes for my oldest son because he loves Toy Story, and not only were we in lockdown but also on a budget. That started my inspiration to build custom shoes for people I knew as a hobby,” Romero says. “Then I noticed how much people loved the customization and decided to dive in. I started an Instagram account, and the service and product began to attract brands.”
Sneakers are Romero’s primary canvas. However, she’s also done work on cleats, sandals, leather boots, ice skating shoes, and other leather items like handbags.
1) How do you come up with the right ideas for each client’s needs? I really focus on building unique ideas with brands. I listen to their goals and aspirations, and dive into understanding their products and services. I always say that the brand is first when it comes to the designs I work on. My process is collaborative and consultative.
2) What technique do you use to transfer the designs to shoes? Our prep is the most elaborate part of our process. This ensures that the end design has great quality and is durable. You could have an amazing design, but if you want it to be functional and wearable—especially when there are large orders involved—intense prep will ensure the art lasts.
3) How might your customized footwear and sneaker bar help a brand or retailer sell products and increase customer engagement? There’s a big need for in-person connection. Events are a great way to drive traffic into stores, increase employee morale, and drive retail and digital sales. We partner with brands that really want to build experiences and make connections for activations as well.
For example, Mercedes gave customers the opportunity to purchase shoes with a car purchase. In collaboration with Swarovski, we produced a back-to-school giveaway for underprivileged high school girls in Ft. Worth, TX. My team and I were able to create 30 pairs of custom sneakers inspired by Swarovski’s crystal on the spot. The campaign was part of a broader community effort to support students and provided an opportunity for the girls to participate in the design process. It was later shared across social channels to amplify the impact.
And our Steve Madden for the Lace Bar brand event series saw around 100 pairs of sneakers customized and distributed as part of pop-up activations in eight major cities, with more in the works. The shoes were themed around different cities and tied directly to Steve Madden’s broader fashion marketing strategy.
