Rangi-Haira Jaxon Greening is one of the most well-known sneaker customisers not only in New Zealand and Australia but also in the USA as well.
He has customised shoes for the likes of Jimi Jackson, Jaymuk, Rongo Keene, NBA basketballer player Josh Childress and even the sneaker super store footlocker.
“As a young kid, I saw friends with a pocket pen just draw on their shoes and slowly built the interest to give it a go myself and see what happened,” Jaxon Greening says.
His journey with customising sneakers began only six years ago.
Jumping the ditch
The Māori sneaker fanatic has been living in Australia for the past eight years and has only just returned to Aotearoa.
He says returning home was often only for important whānau gatherings such as Christmas, tangihanga, and other events. However, this time he has returned home “for the long run.”
“It’s good to connect with family again,” he says.
He now lives in Hamilton, crafting and mastering his art.
Sneakers and slides
Rangi-Haira’s unique art begun with sneakers and has expanded to other range of footwear.
He says, “I have a pair of Kmart and even Warehouse slides, and I gave them a go."
He explains a dedication piece as his “all-time favourite” among all his designs. Rangi-Haira says he dedicated a pair of shoes to his late friend Hone Ngata.
“When he diedI wanted to show my aroha to his wife and son and I made a pair of Air Jordan 4’s representing him and all the elements about him which were hip-hop, DJ, family, community and also his flair and fashion style.
“To be different, to stand out amongst the rest all you have to do is change the colour of the shoe or even the laces.” Greening says.