The founder of froSkate and designer Karlie Thornton talk dismantling the skater boy cliché and designing a trainer with Nike.
By Lizzy Zarrello.
Karlie Thornton created froSkate in May 2019, a skate collective in Chicago, to support beginner, intermediate, gender-diverse, and BIPOC skaters. They’ve hosted over 80 events and have cultivated a community of hundreds of skaters. On Wednesday, froSkate released a collaboration with Nike SB, the “All Love. No Hate” Dunk High. This marks the first time Nike SB collaborated with two Black Women on a Dunk sneaker, designed by Karlie Thornton and L Brew.
Below, we speak to Brew and Thornton about dismantling the skater boy cliché, representing Black and gender-diverse skaters, and using their Nike partnership to spread their message to the masses.
Lizzy Zarrello: What was the initial motivation behind creating froSkate? How has it evolved?
Karlie Thornton: Initially, we wanted to learn how to skate with people who looked like us. We took the initiative to seek out other Black and gender-diverse skaters and form a community since it isn’t as easy as walking into the nearest skatepark. I started a group chat with friends that quickly grew, so I created an Instagram page and posted meet-up flyers. It was something the community needed and caught a lot of attention. I can’t believe how fast it all happened. Our business plan, mission statement, and goals were nonexistent. I saw our growth as proof there was a real need for what I was doing. There had never been anything like it in Chicago. Over the past three years, we’ve worked with countless brands, including Apple, Facebook, Twitter, and now, Nike SB.
LZ: How does FroSkate work towards furthering diversity and representation in the skate community?
L Brew: The public is accustomed to seeing the masculine, CIS, straight male skater. Our mission is to increase the representation of non-traditional skaters, such as BIPOC queer, nonbinary, femme, and trans folks. We create the space, and our skaters fill it. Since many of us grew up skating alone, we didn’t have the cohesive skate crew many traditional skaters enjoyed. The media and skate culture didn’t show us role models who looked like us. Providing this sense of community is part of our mission. We envision froSkate as the inspiration young BIPOC, Femme, and gender-diverse folks need to start their journey.
LZ :What was the process behind the collaboration?
LB: Nike reached out in February 2021. It began as an email we weren’t even sure was real, but we couldn’t say no to an opportunity like this. We were introduced to everyone who’d be helping us develop and launch the shoe. Karlie and I began mocking up ideas, playing around with colors, and contemplating what story we’d like to tell. Our brand identity grew with us alongside the project. We had weekly meetings with the team. It was exciting and fast-paced. It’s been a year and a half, and Karlie and I can’t believe the shoe is finally here and available to the public! It’s our baby, and we’ve put in so much work to bring it to life, from the actual design phase to the marketing, video production, and events we hosted to celebrate.
LZ: What does the phrase “All Love, No Hate” mean to you? What was the inspiration behind this message?
LB: We’ve been chanting “All Love, No Hate, froSkate!” for a while. We’re dedicated to love and encouragement. No matter your skill level, skin color, gender identity, or sexuality, we love and support you! BIPOC, femme, and gender-diverse skaters have it hard enough when moving through life, so it’s important for us to maintain safe spaces where we can help each other grow and feel confident. Hate will never be welcome in our spaces. Haters who tell us we “aren’t real skaters,” “aren’t good enough,” or “aren’t deserving of our success” are who we’re calling out when we say “All Love, No Hate.” We need love and encouragement now more than ever. Skateboarding is embedded in confidence, and we want to ensure our skaters give themselves grace, laugh when they fall, and carry a mindset of constant development. We envision an environment for skaters that combines seasoned and new, young and old. Skateboarders are not a monolith–we have various talents, styles, and identities. That’s what makes the culture unique.
KT: DGK Team manager Don (Coach) Cooley always told me, “It’s not just about tricks, it’s about the impact you are making on your community, it’s about giving back and bringing people into skateboarding.” Our mission is to de-stigmatize the idea of a “poser” by showing that everyone is valid in their journey, and I’m thrilled that we’re the first Black women to work with Nike SB and help continue that conversation. To make the world respect all levels, we must go through the pain and the hate. All skating levels are represented in our video, and a wide range of gender identities, races, and ages. From small to large victories and falls, there is cheering and love. That’s what skateboarding is about.
LZ: How is Chicago and froSkate represented in the sneakers’ design?
LB: FroSkate’s energy is vibrant, which we showcased through our color palette. Almost every skater that Karlie and I know is an artist or creative. We brought that into the shoe—as you skate, the panels rub off, revealing the other shoe’s color, leaving different color streaks on your grip tape depending on how you skate or flick. No two shoes will ever look the same once you’ve skated in them.
KT: We wanted it to be inclusive of all levels of skateboarding and debunk the idea of what a “real skater” looks like. Our first thought was that we had to bring representation to different skating levels in our campaign. Nike SB’s channel has never featured beginner skaters, and skate media rarely does. We wanted to show that it doesn’t matter where you are in your skating journey; you are a skater.
LZ: How will this collaboration work towards helping froSkate’s meet-ups and community?
LB: We hope to reach non-traditional skaters worldwide and help others begin inclusive collectives of their own. We’re blending Black Femme & Queer culture with skateboarding in a way that’s never been done before while paying homage to our people. We’re thrilled with Nike’s support and commitment to creating opportunities for young, ambitious Black and Brown folks. All industries should amplify the livelihood of BIPOC, LGBTQIA+, and non-cis male individuals.
Images courtesy of Nike.
