KID RIVER

Kid River

Artist Yusuf “Kid River” offers us a peek at his process of making Porsche-inspired custom sneakers.

“The first pattern that really hit me was Pepita, it’s just timeless, the black and white rhythm feels like movement frozen in fabric, it tells you it’s a Porsche without even seeing the car.”

A prolific artist of one-off, intricately executed custom shoes, Yusuf, otherwise known as Kid River, has been engrossed in sneaker culture all his life, embarking on his first forays into customising while studying to be an engineer. Shortly after, connecting the idea with his love of Porsches came very naturally and progress snowballed from there.

“I use the exact same materials as the cars themselves. Not just the patterns, but the leathers and stitching details. For me it’s essential that these details are faithfully translated, so the shoe doesn’t just reference the car but truly carries its DNA.”

In the car world, few names place such an emphasis on interior fabric designs. With some going back to the 1960s, certain fabrics have given rise to entire fanbases of their own, to whom the right pattern is sometimes even more important than the model of Porsche it’s attached to. Yusuf’s work expands the creative envelope for these fabrics, re-contextualising them into a completely different application while maintaining a respectful understanding of where they originally came from.

“Right now I love working with Tartan, it fascinates me because of its variety and the way colour tones completely change the story. The classic blue-and-red Tartan throws you straight back into a certain era, you can almost feel the time period it represents. With newer tones like Aurum, Cognac or Truffle Tartan however, the fabric suddenly represents something different. That’s what makes Tartan so beautiful to me, one pattern, endless narratives.”

Each commission Yusuf makes is matched to a specific car, so it’s incredibly important to get the details right. Simply eyeballing the right shade of leather isn’t good enough, and neither is sourcing a poor imitation of an original pattern. Get anything wrong and the sneaker will instantly feel off once united with the car its intended to be matched to. For Yusuf, this understanding of Porsche design was built up from an early age.

“I use the exact same materials as the cars themselves. Not just the patterns, but the leathers and stitching details."

Sneakers were always around me. They weren’t just shoes, they were identity, culture, a way of expressing yourself.

“Growing up, the 930 Turbo was my holy grail. Its silhouette, the broad hips and the whale tail, was unforgettable. Seeing one glide past or sitting in it once felt almost otherworldly. That car wasn’t just a machine, it was a feeling captured in metal and sound.

I’m currently on the hunt for my first Porsche. A 993 Carrera in black has become my dream car over the past few years. It strikes that perfect balance between elegance and character, and I can already imagine customising parts of its interior, custom seats or details that echo my sneaker work. Porsche aren’t just a cars in that way, they’re a canvas you build your story on.

Sneakers were always around me. They weren’t just shoes, they were identity, culture, a way of expressing yourself. During my studies I started painting sneakers, just to make a little money on the side. That was the first time I really connected creativity with sneakers. And then, one day, the idea came to me, why not take elements from the brand that fascinates me the most, Porsche, and translate that DNA onto a sneaker. For me these two worlds work very well together. One being of precision engineering, the other of artistic freedom.

It felt like a way to carry the car with you, even when it’s parked in the garage or the weather isn’t right to take it out. By transplanting interior fabrics onto your sneakers, you can wear a piece of that identity every day.”