Team USA’s Tom Schaar won silver in the men’s ‘skateboard park,’ narrowly missing gold claimed by Keegan Palmer of Australia. Meanwhile, a recent college grad is making waves in the fashion industry to improve skaters’ performances, as discussed in an interview with NBC 5’s Allie Spillyards.
A recent college grad is doing his part to improve skaters' performances by making waves in the fashion industry.
His shoe collection is unlike any other. In his Trophy Club home, 23-year-old Jack Winkler shows off footwear that’s structural, thoughtfully designed and all his very own creations.
“It’s kind of a functional artwork,” said Winkler.
The Byron Nelson High School alumnus is just two months post-grad from Savannah College of Art and Design.
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“I always knew I wanted to go in the arts and creative space,” he said.
Before even launching his career, he’s making a name for himself in the shoe industry.
Last month, Winkler’s revolutionary ‘Paca’ skate shoe hit the market, the first 3D printed shoe specifically designed for skateboarders to be available commercially.
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“I see athletes, runners and skaters, in particular, they burn through their shoes a lot faster than the average consumer, so I saw that as a really amazing opportunity to provide them a more harmonious life cycle between skaters and their footwear,” said Winkler.
Perhaps more interesting is how Winkler did it, relying on a virtual reality headset rather than traditional software due to dyslexia.
“It’s almost like a blob of Play-Doh, and then there are little dots that you pull and twist and maneuver to create creases,” said Winkler.
It’s a technology that Winkler said allows him to customize the shoe for each athlete’s foot.
It’s also sustainable, made from a thermoplastic that can be recycled into a brand-new shoe when this one gives out.
Thanks to the 3D-printed footwear platform Zellerfeld, a 23-year-old designer's career can be launched into the marketplace before it even begins.
“I think especially as a recent graduate, that was just impossible 10, 15 years ago,” he said.
In four weeks, Winkler said he’s sold about 50 pairs.
Next, Winkler will participate in a program with New Balance, where he hopes to help rethink the design of shoes for female athletes, specifically the WNBA. After that, he'll look to the world stage and hopes his shoes will adorn the feet of skateboarders at the 2028 Olympic games. Until then, he’ll continue creating and shaping the future.
