Milwaukee Film will hold “Culture By Design: Sneaker & Streetwear Summit” on Oct. 7 at the Baird Center, 777 E Wisconsin Ave., as part of the 2023 Cultures & Communities Festival.
A celebration of sneaker & streetwear culture, “Culture By Design” brings together a vast cross-cultural and intergenerational community of sneakerheads and streetwear aficionados for a multifaceted exhibition featuring prominent national fashion designers and content creators.
Attractions in the event’s Marketplace include pop-up exhibition spaces, immersive activations (including family-friendly activities for people of all ages) and mixed-media displays curated by prominent brands such as Reebok, the Milwaukee Brewers and more than 50 other local and national vendors in the Baird Center’s Grand Ballroom.
In addition to brand showcases, this haven for sneaker enthusiasts will feature a series of moderated panel discussions and meet-and-greet sessions with national sneaker entrepreneurs and influencers throughout the day, live and silent auctions where attendees can bid on unique autographed sneakers and rare memorabilia, and free and low-cost opportunities to win prize packages and other rewards through raffles and competitions such as sneaker trivia.
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“We acknowledge that various sneaker expos make their way through the region every year, so we’re not trying to reinvent the wheel here,” Milwaukee Film Chief Innovation Officer Geraud Blanks said. “What makes “Culture By Design” unique is how we’re pulling together intersecting cultural and lifestyle themes that impact our social lives—fashion, music, sports, content creation, all into one event.”
Speakers will include industry experts, artists and business leaders leading multiple panels, conversations and workshops throughout the day, including keynote presentations by Alexander-John, designer and creative director for L.A. Gear, Beija Marie Velez, model and multifaceted creative.
Milwaukee Film is collaborating with local entrepreneur Izzy Lugo III, founder of the “Strange on Purpose” podcast, to help organize the event and bring more awareness to streetwear culture in Milwaukee.
“I’m excited to help create this event as a resource for creatives in Milwaukee and the region,” Lugo said. “I’ve been to similar events elsewhere, but witnessing the different cultural pillars come together throughout the day will be distinctive in a way I haven’t experienced yet locally.”
The event is being sponsored and supported by Sneex, Westown Association and the Milwaukee Brewers.
