Created in partnership with Rakuten, brought together thousands of custom sneaker artists from across the US and Europe. With Rakuten’s support, the competition became one of the largest creator-driven sneaker showcases ever produced, giving emerging artists a platform on a global stage. From thousands of entries, just 100 creators were shortlisted by a world-class judging panel featuring leaders across sport, design, music, and sneaker culture. These Top 100 designs formed the Art of the Game Official Collection - a rare, curated snapshot of sneaker culture at its most innovative. The journey concluded in San Francisco, where the finalists were flown out for a filmed finale with the Judges. This finale marked a milestone moment: a celebration of creators, culture, and the evolution of custom sneakers as a legitimate art form. Now, for the first time ever, you can own a piece of this history. Each Top 100 sneaker - whether the original pair or a made-to-order version in your size - represents a creator who rose above thousands to earn their place in this landmark Rakuten x Stephen Curry series. This isn’t just a sneaker. It’s a piece of the Art of the Game legacy - and a chapter in the future of sneaker culture.
Recrafted in Cactus
Product Details
This design is a full reconstruction of the Curry 1 Flotro, handcrafted from cactus leather. I began by deconstructing the original pair piece by piece to create new patterns from the existing panels, using the original upper as the foundation for my rebuild. From there, each pattern was traced and hand-cut from white pebbled cactus leather — the same material I’ve used since I first started shoemaking in 2021.
Every detail was built from the ground up: the outer panels stitched together on my sewing machine, the upper fully hand-lasted, and the finishing details — including the dark green cactus leather Under Armour logo and a circular embossed tongue tag featuring my own logo — all crafted by hand.
This project represents where my journey began and how it’s evolved. When I first learned shoemaking through The Shoe Surgeon Academy, I used cactus leather for my very first build. Returning to that same material for this competition connects my growth as a maker with the values I started with — craftsmanship, sustainability, and originality.
My concept was simple: to prove that any sneaker, even a performance model like the Curry 1, can be recreated using alternative materials without sacrificing quality or design integrity. This build is a reminder that creativity isn’t limited by what’s expected — it’s expanded by what we choose to work with.
Read the full story of the artwork
This product has been made by the Creator previously and is part of their amazing portfolio. The Creator has listed this item as available to remade for clients.
Additional customisation elements may be available.
Own The Art. Wear The Story.
Discover the Top 100 sneakers from the CANVVS Global Competition - designs hand-picked by our judges from thousands of entries worldwide. Each pair is created by a rising creator pushing the boundaries of art, culture and sneaker design.
By owning one, you’re not just buying a sneaker - you’re supporting emerging talent, championing creativity, and wearing a piece of global competition history.
A HISTORIC COLLABORATION
