FROM a makeshift studio in a cramped apartment in North Macedonia's Skopje, Satja Grabuloski has made his mark as one of the top sneaker artists in the world.
With more than 300 celebrities as customers, Grabuloski has taken orders from famous athletes, actors, and musicians -- including Lebron James and Dua Lipa.
Using an array of paints, Grabuloski and his team of seven artists turn ordinary shoes into works of art -- featuring portraits of famous celebrities, film characters and sports stars along with splashes of vibrant colours.
"Sometimes they call us with a specific idea. Sometimes they say, I have no idea -- make me a good design. We then do whatever it takes to make the client satisfied," Grabuloski, 31, tells AFP as he prepares a shipment of customised football cleats for Real Madrid's winger Vinícius Junior.
A single pair of revamped sneakers painted by his team Swithadot StudioS fetches a starting price at around 1,000 euros ($1,050).
The growing enterprise first started as a hobby for Grabuloski, who remembers using a paint kit his mother bought from Paris to ink patterns on a pair of shoes when he was 12.
More than a decade later, Grabuloski was putting custom designs on sneakers with a permanent marker. The method proved to be a hit with his first batch of shoes selling out in 24 hours.
"That showed me… there is a potential business idea that I am still building and developing today," he adds.
- 'Knocked on 1,000 doors' -
Armed with a marketing degree and a smartphone, Grabuloski relied on word of mouth and networking with social media influencers to help build his brand.
Grabuloski also honed in on targeting athletes and found initial success with painting shoes for handball clubs and popular footballers.
"I have knocked on 1,000 doors -- some of them opened," Grabuloski explains.
"I used the players who bought shoes from us -- one-by-one -- as a starting point to make contacts with their friends, co-players in the club or in the national team."
All the designs made by his team at Swithadot StudioS are unique, according to Grabuloski, with clients given certifications of authenticity and a short note on the ideas behind the artwork.
"Every project includes up to 80 hours of work, but some of the designs, for example sport shoes that were done for Lebron James were being prepared for more than 300 hours," says Grabuloski, while laughing that the massive size of the star player's shoes led to more work.
For now, Grabuloski plans to stay and work in North Macedonia, despite longer shipping times due to the limited number of flights in and out of the Balkan country.
But even as he plans to stay in Skopje, Grabuloski is in the process of opening up a showroom in New York, with plans to expand to other major cities soon.
With his business booming, Grabuloski admits he is often stretched between running the daily operations, networking, and researching new markets, which leaves little time to dabble in his favourite hobby.
"I do not have time to draw anymore," Grabuloski tells AFP. "I miss it very much."
ETX Studio
Sun Mar 05 2023
Satja Grabuloski has made his mark as one of the top sneaker artists in the world.- ETX Studio
AWANI Borneo [01/05/2024] – Tertinggi dalam sejarah | PM announcement | Dijadualkan semula
AWANI Borneo Rabu, 1 Mei 2025 bersama Nickyson Nyambar.
> Kerajaan umum kenaikan gaji penjawat awam lebih 13%.
> Sarawak bakal umum pakej khas.
> Letusan Gunung Ruang : Penerbangan Sabah dan Sarawak masih terjejas.
> Kerajaan umum kenaikan gaji penjawat awam lebih 13%.
> Sarawak bakal umum pakej khas.
> Letusan Gunung Ruang : Penerbangan Sabah dan Sarawak masih terjejas.
Malaysia Airlines sambung semula beberapa penerbangan ke Sabah, Labuan
Malaysia Airlines akan menyambung semula beberapa penerbangan dengan jadual baharu yang pada awalnya dibatalkan berikutan letusan gunung berapi di Gunung Ruang, di Indonesia baru-baru ini.
Proses rekalibrasi tenaga kerja 2.0 tamat hujung bulan ini
Timb. Menteri Di Pejabat Premier (Buruh, Imigresen, Pemantauan Projek) Datuk Gerawat Gala menggesa majikan di Sarawak untuk menjayakan proses Rekalibrasi Tenaga Kerja 2.0 (RTK 2.0) sebelum ia ditamatkan pada hujung bulan ini.
Pindaan Ordinan Buruh Sarawak beri manfaat berganda
Cadangan pindaan ke atas Ordinan Buruh Sarawak (Ordinan Bab 76) yang akan dibentangkan di parlimen akan memberi manfaat berganda kepada golongan pekerja di negeri itu.
Sarawak kaji pakej khas, umum pada Jun
Premier Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg beri bayangan ada pakej khas yang akan diumumkan kerajaan negeri. Ia penambahbaikan dari apa yang diumumkan Kerajaan Persekutuan.
Perincian kenaikan ketika pembentangan Belanjawan 2025
Menteri Komunikasi itu berkata kenaikan itu hanya boleh berlaku susulan pengurusan dan tatakelola yang lebih baik diamalkan Kerajaan Perpaduan, terutamanya dalam usaha melawan rasuah.
Penjawat awam diharap laksana pembaharuan digarap Kerajaan Madani - KSN
Mohd Zuki berkata pembinaan negara bangsa amat bergantung kepada produktiviti dan prestasi para pekerja yang merupakan jentera utama pembangunan negara.
Kenaikan gaji penghargaan kepada 1.6 juta penjawat awam - CUEPACS
Pengumuman kerajaan berhubung kenaikan gaji lebih 13 peratus bermula Disember ini satu penghargaan kepada kira-kira 1.6 juta penjawat awam negara yang meletakkan negara di landasan kukuh, kata Kongres
Harga petrol, diesel kekal bagi tempoh 2 Mei hingga 8 Mei
Harga itu ditetapkan berdasarkan harga runcit mingguan produk petroleum menggunakan formula Mekanisme Harga Automatik.
Pantau Agenda Reformasi: Pantau kenaikan gaji penjawat awam lebih 13 peratus
Prof Dr Balakrishnan Parasuraman, Dekan Pusat Pengajian Pascasiswazah UMK