From a busted shoe sole to international fame: the story of the Hungarian sneaker painter

Csaba Kiss has been painting and modifying sneakers for five years now. Fans know him as Dent Kicks Custom.

Unique sneakers have become a separate category within sneaker culture, while creators of custom pieces are counted as artists. No wonder, since creating a unique one requires amazing skills and a lot of time. Csaba Kiss a.k.a. Dent Kicks Custom is the creator of the only internationally recognised Hungarian sneaker, who allowed Szeretlek Magyarország to check out his work.

He has been painting shoes for five years now. He was introduced to the world of sneakers by his wife, and a sole gone bust too quickly was the very first kick to start the customisation business. He hardly regrets it:

the result was international fame and numerous orders from abroad.

He provides professional help at Footshop’s workshop on 24th November for those who want to spice up their new or old shoes, showing the specific stages of his workflow, like preparation or the airbrush technique.

Although the nickname Dent Kick Custom could give you a hint about his profession, one would not guess he is still working as a dental technician. He claims that both professions require a good hand, even though they are completely different. He tries to follow the actual trends as well as his favourite models when deciding what he is going to do. However, there are materials with which you have to be a hundred per cent sure if it is worth starting: leather and elastic materials challenge him more, but most of the materials and styles can be easily painted with the required knowledge in one’s head.