“The design’s colors and landscape were inspired by Haiti, complete with the national flower, and the shoe will be named ‘The Frank by Jean Dario,’ after the 16-year-old.”
Magic can happen when our creative ventures come together in service of creativity and community. Earlier this year, GYK Antler and YORK Athletics Mfg. partnered on the Blank Canvas sneaker design contest, created to provide local high schoolers in underserved communities with education and access to creative career paths. The students’ designs were fantastic – and now, one of those designs has inspired a limited-edition sneaker: The Frank by Jean Dario.
Jean Dario, a Junior from Haiti, used YORK’s Henry Mid Canvas to paint a beautiful landscape of his homeland featuring its national flower, the Hibiscus. The team at GYK provided him with materials and mentorship along the way. Then YORK used photo technology to translate the painted canvas effect onto the cage of the Frank. From 11/30 through 12/12, 100% of profit from sales of The Frank by Jean Dario & the Henry Mid Canvas will fund a scholarship for Jean Dario’s continued education.
NBC 10 Boston spent an afternoon with the team and Jean Dario to capture JD’s live reaction when he got to hold his sneaker for the first time and learn about the scholarship he will receive from the profits of the shoe. Check out the feature here.