Through the use of his business “Charlie’s Kicks”, sophomore Charlie Knight has the opportunity to share his passion for art and shoes with the world. Knight paint and reconstructs shoes, giving them a unique look.
Charlie Knight
Name: Charlie Knight
Grade: 10
Future college: University of Oklahoma
Future Job: Own a shoe store
Years as an artist: 5
Inspiration: Old art teacher, my brother, and love for shoes
Wingspan: What is Charlie’s kicks?
Knight: “It is a thing that I do where I paint shoes and sell them to people so they can have their own kind of shoe and it’s with my name on it.”
Wingspan: What is it like to balance school, sports and your business?
Knight: “It’s hard, I never really find anytime to do it, but I find time, stay up late, sometimes I even pull all nighters.”
Wingspan: Do you plan on continuing your business in college?
Knight: “That’s a big commitment, but I’d like to do that.”
Wingspan: Why did you start your Charlie’s Kicks?
Knight: “I remember hearing about it from my art teacher of a guy who painted and took a part in reconstructed shoes. I thought that was one of the coolest things I have ever heard, so I’ve decided to do it myself.”
Wingspan: What is your favorite shoe you designed?
Knight: “I did a pair of Gucci Air Force Ones, I think it was last year, it was probably my favorite pair.”
Wingspan: What’s the biggest challenge about Charlie’s Kicks?
Knight: “Having the courage to do it even if you’re going to mess up, you are going to have to buy that person a new shoe no matter how much money it’s worth, so you have to do it without worrying about it.”
Wingspan: What inspires all your designs?
Knight: “If I see something and I think it’s cool, I will just kind of go and sketch it out, see if it looks good, and paint it on a shoe.”
Wingspan: How has it affected your life?
Knight: “It has helped me made a lot of friend, has helped me gain confidence, money and connections.”
Wingspan: What is the outlook for Charlie’s Kicks in the upcoming year?
Knight: “I want to make shoes for basketball players and football players because I haven’t really done that yet. I think it would be really cool, and expand my demographic.”
Wingspan: What is your advice to anyone who wants to start a business?
Knight: “Put all your time into it, do the best you can, don’t do half of it, give it your all.”