The sneaker culture has for the most part always been a male-dominated place although we’ve recently seen a shift that strives to be more inclusive of women “sneakerheads.” Now more than ever, we are seeing women not only wear sneakers but contribute to the growth and direction of the culture. The playing field isn’t quite even so women are finding ways to stand out within it. One of the ways in which they are is through manicures that bring your favorite sneakers to nail art proportions. Celine Cumming “NailedbyCeline” is a Delaware based nail artist who’s standing out by matching her nails to her sneakers. She creates next level sneaker-inspired manicures. We reached out to Celine to find out more about this concept and how she got started.
Mireya: First and foremost we love your designs, amazing work, how did you get started doing nail art?
Celine: Thanks so much! When I was 12 years old, I went on a family vacation to Thailand where I got my nails done for the first time. My nail technician painted beautiful designs on all of my fingers, which completely captivated me. My mom went all over town searching for nail art supplies and then allowed me to practice on her that same evening. As the years passed I became relentless in practicing, determined to one day become as amazing as the woman that inspired me to try. And now here I am, a decade later, still practicing and perfecting the trade.
“I by no means would consider myself a sneakerhead– though I’m enjoying getting more involved with the sneaker community as I gain more knowledge and love for sneakers.”
With art being a huge part of your life, do you see yourself possibly designing a sneaker?
I would absolutely love to design a sneaker! With my nail art, I am inspired by all beautiful things, anything from the minerals in a museum, to the patterns on a floor tile, to the flowers in a supermarket, to the textures and design of sneakers. To flip the script and design a pair of sneakers instead of nails would be a totally new and exciting challenge and artistic venture for me.
What inspired the concept of matching nails with your kicks?
I got a new pair of grey Pumas with camouflage print on the soles and immediately thought to myself, “grey camo nails would be super cute with these, I should paint that to match these shoes.” And then I decided to take a picture with the finished nails and the sneakers that inspired the nails in the background of the picture. I really liked the outcome and decided to mimic the style of a photo with several other pairs of sneakers. I’ve gotten so much positive feedback on social media from both the nail art and the sneaker communities that it has inspired me to just keep going with it!
Nailed By Celine, tell us a bit about how you got started with that and where do you see your company going?
Ideally, I would love to be an agency represented nail artist that travels the world doing celebrity and editorial nail artwork and collaborates with a vast variety of different brands.
What infused your passion and love for sneakers?
I think social media definitely played a big part in my realizing how expressive street style clothing can be and gave me a larger appreciation for the sneaker-loving community as a whole. It also granted me easier access to check out upcoming releases and what’s on the market as well as the ability to connect with people that have similar style or interests, which really solidified my love for sneakers and the sneaker community.
What was your very first pair of kicks you owned?
A pair of Converse!
Do you consider yourself a sneakerhead? How many pairs of sneakers you currently own?
I by no means would consider myself a sneakerhead– though I’m enjoying getting more involved with the sneaker community as I gain more knowledge and love for sneakers. That being said, I only own about 10 pairs at this time but I’m slowly growing my collection and having fun doing so.
If you had to have a rotation of only 5 pairs of sneakers to wear, what would those be?
All red Huaraches, Beluga 2.0, 350 Yeezy Boost, Banned 1’s, Oreo Human Races, and OFF-WHITE 2.0 White Prestos.
