LA GEAR X IVAN LEVANT

LA GEAR X IVAN LEVANT

Ivan Levant is a “shoeniverse” creator from Santa Monica, California that combines his love of art and style to create a product of self-expression: hand-painted sneakers. Levant has partnered with L.A. Gear to custom paint 16 pairs of shoes for the release of the upcoming Heritage Collection and is also curating a custom design for the collaboration of LA Gear x Fred Segal launch this November.  

“For as long as I can remember, I’ve always been fascinated by art.” says Levant, “I spent hours on end drawing as a kid. As I kept growing up, I became enamored with streetwear and shoes. In 2018 I fused that adoration with my artistry and began painting shoes.”

Levant is entirely self-taught, having the ability to create incredibly realistic portraits through dedication, repetition, and patience. Each pair of shoes that Levant paints can take upwards of 40 hours depending on the complexity of the design.

The young artist has continued push the bounds of his creativity, announcing that he plans to leave the “shoeniverse” he created behind and continue his line of work on a new platform. Levant also launched his first brand this year, Taiga Clothing. The brand is non-profit organization that donates all profits to the World Wildlife Fund in order to support the fight to preserve wildlife and sustain the environment.

“This venture not only gave me the opportunity to curate a collection of unique designs created by myself, but also provides a platform for me to showcase my directional debut.”

Levant expressed his excitement with this collaboration with LA Gear and is hopeful for his future professional endeavors.

“I’m honored and excited to have the chance to elevate my work with such an iconic brand.”

Follow Ivan Levant on Instagram @imivanlevant.