Born to Dye – Meet the man who is putting colour back into kicks
Lorenzo Federici, a designer based in London is taking dyeing techniques to new heights.
Specialising in elevating hyped trainers by adding rich colour hues to them - a process that isn’t your average dyeing technique or soaking your creps in coffee to achieve distinct hues.
Starting as a sneakerhead when he was 13, Lorenzo was the guy camping out for drops and whose passion came full circle while interning at Nike HQ. Submerging himself in sneaker culture, 200 pairs later, Lorenzo’s work has since reached the heels of icons such as Lil Yachty and Drake, quickly after entering the industry. Having also worked with the late Virgil Abloh before he passed, inspiring the colour scheme for LV’s new season, this is just the start for young Lorenzo’s creative journey.
We see Nike CDGH’s and Off-White Nike’s decorated in stretched gradients, each colour rolling into the next seamlessly. Using an unorthodox method of dyeing which could only be achieved by trial and error through years of testing, Lorenzo’s “Patented Color Schemes” tagline is a true statement to his craft.
Everything Lorenzo touches turns to gold. Or, more accurately, turns to an electric yet soothing canvas of colour. He opens us up to a world of vibrancy in our daily rotation, meticulously looking at the details to create a truly unique product that flips the term ‘customs’ on its head.
“I’ve never been a fan of customs. I always wanted samples that no one else could get and turned heads. This is why I call my work. Samples’ – my colourways have inspired countless brands, footwear, and wider fashion so my work really is like a sample for the industry copying.”
And in a world where fashion giants continue to hijack the creative efforts of more niche designers, Lorenzo’s voice is loud and clear. Even after having various brands use his work within their mood boards but failing to credit or reference him in the final product, his views, although strong, are respectful.
“It definitely motivates me to be better until they can’t ignore the work I’m producing and see the vision to do something meaningful as opposed to a soulless “control V”.”
