Meet Owen Milmont | Sneaker Customizer and Artist

We had the good fortune of connecting with Owen Milmont and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Owen, can you walk us through the thought-process of starting your business?
When I was a freshman in high school I figured it was time for me to start making some money. Lots of my friends started getting jobs at golf courses and fast food places, but I didn’t want a job that I didn’t have a lot of control over. I wanted to make money doing something I liked and had fun doing instead of people telling me what to do. I have always been artistic, so I wanted to do something related to that. At the time, custom sneakers were popping off on social media, and it looked super fun to do. I’d never seen anything like it, and it was super exciting to think that I could transform any pair of boring sneakers into an art piece. I learned everything I could about customizing sneakers and saved up 50 bucks to get some paint and a pair of Vans. Once I finished that pair, family and friends started reaching out to get some pairs of their own, and it has just grown from that point.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
Custom sneakers is still a very niche industry. There aren’t a lot of sneaker customizers out there, which in itself sets me apart from the crowd. I am most proud of the fact that I created a business out of something that I am passionate about. I have new ideas for custom sneakers every day, and every time I get a new idea I get really excited to try it out. I think it’s really easy for people to see my passion for what I do shine through my work. It’s taken a lot of grinding to get where I am today, and it will take a lot more grinding to get to where I want to be. I am young and still in the first stages of my business, but I am really excited to see where my business will go in the future. It is sometimes difficult to come up with new and unique ideas, but I have learned to trust the process and always eventually figure it out. Often times I am working on a pair of shoes and I don’t like the design, but when I am in the finishing stages of a pair and see it all come together, I am almost always happy with the result. I rarely create sneakers that I don’t love. I want the world to know that I every pair of custom sneakers that I create are pieces of art and personally made to represent the individual wearing them.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
My favorite thing to do around here is go up to the mountains to ski and mountain bike. I also love hanging out around Old Town and looking at all the shops and murals. Comet Chicken is one of my favorite restaurants, everything there is so good you can’t go wrong. Going up to Horsetooth is definitely a must-do, you can swim in the reservoir or hike, its a great place to hang out.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I’d like to dedicate my shoutout to Dillon Dejesus. He is another sneaker customizer with tons of experience, and he is willing to share all his tricks with everyone about customizing sneakers so that they can create pairs on their own. Without him, figuring out how to customize sneakers would’ve taken a lot longer than it did, and I am super grateful for all the advice he shares.

Instagram: omencustomshoes

Image Credits
Tina Wood Photography