Reebok announced Cardi B as a brand ambassador in November 2018, and in commemoration of the partnership commissioned A-Morir designer Kerin Rose Gold to customize a pair of Aztrek sneakers with Swarovski crystals for Cardi and her daughter, Kulture.
The shoe features approximately 4,500 hand-applied crystals, which were combined with 900 Aurora Borealis rhinestone-covered crystals in 10 different shapes and sizes for the shoes’ vector logos.
In an interview with Page Six, Gold explained, “As opposed to having the [vector logo] be mainly crystals with a few fun gems thrown in, I took some creative liberty because I wanted to pay homage to Cardi’s oft-gem-encrusted, fabulous nails and only used fancy gem stones all the way around. Doing that kind of work is like doing a jigsaw puzzle, but you’re inventing what the puzzle pieces are.”
Known for her blinged-out accessories and eyewear, Gold has provided multiple a-list performers (Nicki Minaj, Jennifer Lopez and Rihanna to name a few) with items designed to pop on red carpets, stages and in music videos.
Years of creating special items often requested in the final hour means Gold has above-average applications skills. Gold noted, “This mother-daughter masterpiece took me between 15-18 hours. If you wanted to try this at home, it would take you closer to 30. Think about it like running a marathon; you get a gold medal for running the fastest. If strassing [the art of crystal application, named after gemstone inventor George Friedrich Strass] was a marathon race, I’d come in first place. If this was a sprint, I’d be the Usain Bolt of bedazzling. Speed is oft looked down on as if it’s a bad thing, as if that means it must be easy if it was so fast to do. Not!”
Check out Gold’s handiwork below.
