What we put on our feet is a personal fashion statement; whether scuffing to death our favourite designer trainers or splashing out on some box-fresh Manolo Blahniks, finding the right items to wear on the ends of our legs has become an expensive way of exactly saying who you are. If mass-produced items in your local stores have lost their appeal, Glasgow-based Bubblegum Fusion are on a mission to make you feel special from head to toe. They’ll take Converse or Vans and personalise them with your own choice of design, hand-painted in the Bubblegum Fusion Studio in Glasgow’s Hidden Lane.
Bubblegum Fusion
‘The idea came when my sister asked me to revamp a pair of shoes she had with a Blink 182 picture. After that, my little cousin wanted a picture of the Cookie Monster; her friend saw them and it just spiralled from there,’ says Bubblegum Fusion founder Emma McDowall. 'The absolute best part of the job for me is when customers send in pictures of themselves or their kids with their new shoes, looking very happy. It makes my day.’
Bubblegum Fusion
Bubblegum Fusion use fan art for most of their designs, to avoid using images which have specific copyright issues, and the results are must-have items for those who chose to wear their pop culture influences on their feet rather than their sleeves. From Audrey Hepburn to 'The Hunger Games', Bubblegum Fusion take iconic images we love and weave them into the fabric of what we wear. The infrastructure is minimal; they take their orders via Facebook, and McDowall relishes the personal touch created by having the artist work with the customer directly.
Bubblegum Fusion
‘My favourite designs are the ones we make that are very different from something that's already been done on the page, I love it when a customer comes to me with an idea and then we have a great time bouncing it back and forth until we come up with the final design,’ says McDowall. ‘On Facebook there are a number of other people creating great handmade items, creating everything from pillows to bling items. I'm even part of a group where the girls share tips and tricks for running a Facebook page; we’re all trying to find the best way to get out our work out there.
Bubblegum Fusion
Branching out into handbags as well as shoes, the company frequently has to stop taking orders for short periods to cope with the backlog of orders. Bubblegum Fusion have a unique selling point and unlikely to sell-out to mass-production anytime soon. These boots may be built for walking, but they’d look just as good in a glass case, just in case of a fashion emergency.
Bubblegum Fusion
Words: Eddie Harrison