make a wish

We sat down with adidas designer Kimmiski Adams to talk about designing for Disney, sneaker inspiration, and the nostalgia that makes this pair a special pickup for a lucky winner.

One thing we know for sure: nostalgia means everything. For us, growing up consisted of key moments that impacted so much in our lives. One part of that key? Disney. From Ariel to Princess Tiana, the role Disney movies played in our youth (and some of our adulthood, tbh) can’t be understated.

This year, Disney is taking that nostalgia to a new level by giving back to kids who could use a happy memory. With the Disney Create 100, Disney is curating a global celebration of creativity, marking 100 years of Disney storytelling. To mark this milestone, some of the world’s most renowned visionaries and next-generation talent across fashion, music, art, and more have donated artwork, items, and experiences inspired by their personal connection to the characters that raised us to benefit Make-A-Wish® globally. These special items will be auctioned to raise funds for Make-A-Wish starting on October 12th.

So, when we got word that one of our CNK favorites was selected to design a shoe in honor of Disney’s 100th-anniversary celebration, you know we jumped at the chance to get candid. We sat down with adidas Footwear Designer Kimmiski Adams to talk her one-of-a-kind adidas Rivalry Highs, the inspo behind each panel, and the reason these resonate with kids and adults alike.

On how “The Princess and the Frog” resonated for her as a designer AND as a Black Woman in the sneaker industry…

“From a perspective, like as a black woman, it's just one of those things where like, I know the feeling of like working really hard towards something and you're not sure if you're going to get it or not.

I was literally in tears every day [when I was applying for the adidas S.E.E.D. program]. I had no idea what I was doing. And then, I'm reading books and looking online and sketching online. So, I'm like doing anything and everything I can to get to this moment. And it felt like it just felt like I had to do so much.

As a Black woman, I know what [that struggle is] like. Tiana was just trying to get her building. She got all of the money, and then the guys are like, “Oh, we sold the building yesterday.” [I aligned with the concept of] a simple redirection.As a Black woman, especially trying to do things where we're the first in places or in spaces that might be a little bit difficult because there's nobody else that looks like you in these positions, it feels like your dream is always like one step or one redirection away.”

On the design elements of each shoe…

“So because [Princess and the Frog] is based in the South, I knew there was no way I couldn’t add the elements that I've physically seen and experienced into the shoes.

The right shoe is Tiana before she becomes this princess. The color yellow is based off her outfit when she's in the restaurant. It's like her working girl. I took inspiration from her white apron and her yellow dress and, on the inside, that stripe is actually a nod to the shutters of the building that she wanted to buy and a certain iconic eatery in New Orleans. If you know, you know.

The tongue tab of the yellow pair is the writing from the bottom of her flyer where it says “Tiana's Place.” So, it's literally from the first drawing of her dream.

Then you have the beignet little eyelid. I also made sure to include her beignets on both of the outsoles which are actually a similar beignet color. Both of them have it, which signifies that she carried that part of her from before she was a princess and then after.

Fun fact: Tiana and Mulan are the only Disney princesses who are left handed so, I wanted to put a solid nod to that in a subtle way, hence, the left shoe is her glow-up. The rhinestones are indicative of her transition into a full princess because, of course, my girl finally got her crown.

The different greens kind of signify the colors in her dress. On the interior, I made sure to place Ray and all of her friends who helped her get to this moment. Finally, I put her on the tongue tab. So she goes from Tiana's place to actually being the princess and getting the things that she always wanted.”

On the significance of the laces…

“So the laces on her “pre-princess” shoe kind of play into this like rope tie, which kind of signifies the timing of the period of the film. There were a lot of handmade ropes and belted ropes that were used as clothing items. Back then, people had to use whatever they could to make it work and I wanted to be mindful of that.

As she turned into a princess, I went to a silk lace to kind of honor her transition and her leaning into the finer things in life because she’s made it. It was definitely like, ‘my girl is not putting it together anymore!’”

Kimmiski’s custom adidas Rivalry Highs are available to bid on now. Tap the link below in order to place your bid on this one-of-a-kind custom and support a great cause!

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