When it comes to fashion, sneaker culture just might be the purest form of self-expression.   Many of the most exciting custom designs come from independent creators who take risks and tell their stories through their work. 

Shopping platforms Rakuten and CANVVS recognized that talent and created the 2026 Art of the Game Custom Sneaker Competition to give underrepresented designers a bigger stage. The judging panel included Taboo, Katty Customs, Dan Gamache, and 2-time MVP Stephen Curry, because sports and sneakers have always been hand in hand. 

The winner of the competition, Arthur Nash, was crowned at the launch event on February 20th, receiving a $10,000 prize, highlighting Rakuten and CANVVS’ dedication to awarding culture, community, and creativity through sports and design. 

“With Rakuten and CANVV being long-standing partners for a while, and the idea that we had the ability to uplift the next greatest, underrepresented, overlooked talent within the sneaker industry, and leveraging this platform, it’s something that I’m very passionate about,” Curry shared with BET. “With the blessing that basketball has given me, and the cool part of the intersection of sports and sneaker culture, it made a lot of sense. Bringing all of these creatives together has been awesome.” 

With all of his experience on the court and in the design room, Curryunderstands what it takes to both make and market a good shoe. During his time on the judging panel at The Art of the Game, he kept his eye open for designs that were inspirational or motivational. 

“I’m a sucker for a good story. There are a lot of different ways to tell a story on a shoe, whether it’s super specific like using text and pictures as a kind of direct representation of what you’re trying to say, or if it’s more of an essence, like its patterns and colors and things that are telling a story that way,” Curry explained. 

One of the first shoes that made him feel seen and represented as an athlete and creative was The Reebok Questions by Allen Iverson, but his love for designing shoes came later with the Vince Carter Shocks. 

“Those (The AI Questions) were the first ones I wore on the court. I was just telling somebody that it was the Shocks, the Vince Carter signature back in the day, were the first ones that I got to customize myself and make into my high school basketball colors,” he said. 

Fashion has always played a huge part in sports, from the tunnel outfits to the custom kicks you might see on the players. Curry hopes that this platform will give exposure and inspiration to all the participants, especially those who look like him. 

“The same way that we’re on TV every night, 82 games a year, young hoopers or athletes get to turn on the TV and watch and be inspired. Hopefully, this does the same for the participants,” he said. “It’s great to see representation in the room. We need to see people that look like us doing what we want to do to find that connection and keep us going, so hopefully it does a little bit of all of that.” 

When asked what story he would want his design to tell if he were to collaborate on his own custom sneaker design for the competition, he took Golden State Warriors fans back down memory lane. 

“I think I would want to tell the story of playing in Oakland at Oracle Arena, which is a very special place. It’s where I grew up in the NBA, where we won our first three championships,” Curry shared sentimentally. “I’d want to tell the story of that building and those fans; there’s a lot of nostalgia that comes and a lot of great memories. There’s always such a unique vibe when you step foot in that arena. It was loud, it was all Oakland. That would be the story I’d tell.”

Building on the initiative to help create tangible opportunities for emerging creatives, Nash’s winning design is now exclusively available to Rakuten members who can earn 10% cash back – the most rewarding way to shop for every purchase. The Art of the Game Competition proves that when creativity is given the right platform, it can open doors beyond the design studio.