Editor, Lester Jones: Part of my motivation for starting I Dig Your Sole Man was to try and treat sneakers as cherished items and modern day art pieces in their own right. I’m always interested to meet and chat with other people who try to seek art within this fascinating sub-culture too, so was delighted when Vancouver based artist Farouq Samnani gave up some time to talk about his fascinating background, incredible artwork and his passion for the past, present and future of the sneaker game.
IDYSM: Hey Farouq, thanks for your time. First up, please tell us a bit about yourself.
Farouq: My pleasure! and excited to be a part of this. I’m an art director, visual designer and illustrator currently based in a unique neighbourhood of Vancouver called Gastown. My parents are originally from East Africa, they fled Uganda during Idi Amin’s coup of 1971 and made their way to Kenya, where I was born. Soon After, my family left Africa for the U.K. then eventually settled in Canada, which has been our home now for 30 years. I’m very fortunate that I get to do what I do, I never take it for granted and I’m grateful for this opportunity to share my work with you.
IDYSM: So you’re very much an observer of street style, what’s your involvement with the sneaker world?
More I Dig Your Sole Man: In Their Shoes; Farouq Samnani.
Farouq’s Website: http://www.farouqsamnani.com/
Ismailimail 