Professional skateboarder Stefan Janoski was recently interviewed in Thrasher magazine's April issue and said that he refused to follow Nike's practice about giving athletes signature shoes.
"Nike was used to saying “Here’s your shoe,” and having a model already designed for the athlete, but I had a specific idea for a shoe, so I said, “No thank you,” to their designs," Janoski explains.
The shoe started when he had an idea on the outcome of his signature skate shoes even the employees of Nike were hesitant at the beginning because it was simple without padding and technology.
"We went back and forth, but I refused to compromise on my vision. So I think someone said, “Fine, just give it to him.“ And as it turns out, I was right!" Janoski said.
"I started getting calls and texts from family and friends," Janoski said when someone he knows sees people wearing his shoe. "Soon every day I would see someone with them everywhere, in every country, no matter where I went. It was pretty wild. It’s so natural now." He said.
A lot of normal people who never stepped on a skateboard only know that his shoe is just a Nike shoe but don't know that it was named after him as a pro skate shoe.
"I definitely liked and still like the fact that mostly only skateboarders recognize me," Janoski told Mike Burnett.
"I could stand right next to someone and we are both wearing my shoe. They say, “Nice Jan-OW-skis.” For some reason, everyone puts an “OW” when pronouncing my last name."
Janoski mentioned that his wife was shopping somewhere and the clerk who rung her up saw her name and said, “Oh, like the shoe? but his wife didn't say anything that her husband is a pro skater and the shoe was the pro model.