When you think of sneakers, it’s not just the shoe that comes to mind. There’s an entire culture surrounding the product. It’s no longer just a fashion statement. It’s a way of life and an art form. Chris Strachan set out to get the message across and thus was founded Kicknit.
Kicknit started in 2015, and has developed into so much more than Strachan could’ve imagined. With the help of close friends Steph and Seth Curry, Strachan put together ‘The Kick Back’ in Sacramento in late March. It was a forum for sneakerheads to come together and showcase their art and also collect sneakers for the less fortunate. The Kicknit crew put together an event that showcased the sneaker world in the best way.
We were able to speak with Strachan about his work an vision.
Question: Tell us about Kicknit and what your vision is for the organization?
Chris: Kicknit is a network on YouTube dedicated to sneakers. It connects people and sneakers together in so many different ways. We’re in different cities and we kick it with people in the streets. We go to different campuses to have campus battles between the sneakers, especially with the student athletes. We have a web series, where I sit down with my celebrity guests. I talk to these guys about their style and the kick game. Kicknit isn’t just about sneakers. It’s any way that sneakers connect to people. It’s any way that we can bring people together through the culture of hip hop. The goal is to be the #1 place where people come to get their sneaker news or current events on sneakers. We will continue to do events where we will underprivileged people through sneakers.
Question: When did you guys start, and what is the future looking like?
Chris: I started it a little over a year ago. I came up with the idea in the summer of 2014. It came to me because it’s everything I love. It’s all my passions combined into one thing. It’s music, sports and sneakers, and I just wanted an outlet to be able to creatively show the world how I view the world. Everything we shoot is from the sneaker lover’s perspective. You always get a full body shot of those sneakers in a dope way.
Question: You guys have buy in from a lot of big name athletes. How did you get that to fruition?
Chris: I’ve been around the NBA for about 7 years living out in the Bay Area and Sacramento, and I just have a lot of friends that play for NBA teams. I connected them all together. I’ve built a lot of relationships in the NBA, and these guys really support Kicknit is all about. They are Kicknit. There’s so many more [athletes] that want to be involved in every NBA city for the most part. They really believe in the vision.
Question: In what facet have you been around the NBA, and what are your ties to the organization?
Chris: My best friends are Seth and Steph Curry. I’ve been able to go to different games around the country and take pictures of different sneakers. It’s kind of mysterious how I pop up in all these places, but it’s through my connection. They’re basically like my brothers.
Question: What is next for Kicknit?
Chris: We have a Pop-up Shop coming up in June, which will be in the Bay Area. Kicknit will be collaborating with all of the Bay Area street wear brands to make Kicknit merchandise. We have hats, backpacks, and a lot of shirts, clothes that people can wear. Basically it’s all of the Bay Area brands, and it will be at Era in downtown Oakland. This place is really hip hop and artsy, and it’s a sports bar. How I said Kicknit combines everything I love, this will be the same way. We have our ‘Kick Back’ in Vegas and LA coming up this summer, along with our celebrity basketball game that we have in LA. We have a few things on the rise, along with our Bay Area ‘Kick Back’ this fall.
Question: Are you guys only focused on the NBA?
Chris: It’s not just teams. It’s just the culture. It’s not specific to basketball or football. It’s the culture, so comedians, actors, we have everyone on this. We had Adrian Ross at the Sacramento ‘Kick Back’. He played for the Bengals, and he’s a local Sacramento guy. Every city we go to will be the same thing. Everyone who’s making an impact locally will be on board. It’s about the hip hop culture more than anything else.
Question: Is there a website where people can go so people can find out your tour schedule?
Chris: We will be going to every NBA city in the 2016-17 basketball city. The website is www.thekickbacktour.com, and you can get everything you need to know on Kicknit. That gives information about the next city we will be in. It gives updates on Twitter and Instagram.
Question: Tell us about the charity work you guys do as well.
Chris: Whether I partner up with a celebrity’s non-profit or I partner with a city’s local non-profit, we really want to physically touch these communities, and the entire country. Any time you get to partner with someone who’s in our lane and reach out to children. For the ‘Kick Back’ tour, we partnered with the YMCA in Sacramento to identify families who are underprivileged, and we raised 40 pairs of sneakers to give to these families. We will have an episode on this on Kicknit very soon where we actually go out and give the families their sneakers.
Question: How can people can reach out to Kicknit through social media?
Chris: Our email is [email protected] You can reach me @Coseezy and Twitter and Instragram for Kicknit is @kicknit_
Kicknit’s concept is clearly bringing something fresh to the sneaker culture, and with celebrity endorsement from a vast majority of NBA players+, it’s obviously well respected in the industry. However, it’s clear that it just doesn’t end with the NBA. Kicknit’s reach into all facets of the sneaker world is proving why the success of organization continues.
CLICK TO SEE PHOTOS FROM THE SACRAMENTO ‘KICK BACK’
