From Butter to Ball: Broderick Foster on Locking In the Converse SHAI 001

is changing what it means to dominate on and off the court – and straddling those spheres is the . Marking the MVP’s first signature and crafted in collaboration with , the hybrid silhouette is a bold take on SGA's vision, personality and creativity remixed into footwear form.

Releasing on September 4, the upcoming model blends performance tech with fashion-forward design: lightweight cushioning, premium materials, and subtle details all come together to create a silhouette that’s as dynamic as the Free Throw Merchant himself. Even the colourways carry meaning, with playful nods to the baller’s personality and inspirations transforming each pair into a neck-cranking piece. But the also shines a light on the essence of Shai as a creator – someone who thinks beyond the hardwood and actively shapes his environment, from art to .

Sneaker Freaker spoke to Broderick Foster – the mind behind Converse’s Sport Style product vision – on bringing Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s vision to life, the inspo behind the SHAI 001, and how Converse are stepping back into the game. Read on below!

Hey Broderick. Let’s get straight into it! Firstly, the SHAI 001 introduces a unibody moulded design and forefoot Zoom. What would you say is the trick to making something this performance-driven still feel wearable day-to-day?
I think I'll start by really looking through the lens of the athlete first. In the case of Shai, he's a very unorthodox type of player – someone who slashes right to left, stops and starts, and then gets to the basket. You have to take those movements into consideration first and foremost. One great thing about us being owned by is that we can work with them on a lot of the science and technology to enhance the ride the athlete needs.

As we looked at the athlete and what he's looking for, there are also other elements: there’s the science piece and the art piece. On the science side: Shai has been playing with in the forefoot for around five years – even since re-signing – mainly because of his footwork and focus. Look at the pace of his movements – he can go from a speed of five all the way up to twenty, and is always in position to attack. That’s why we put so much emphasis on the cushioning system right in the forefoot.

Another piece you might have noticed, especially if you’ve watched games or heard commentary, is the role of the rubber pattern. A lot of people don’t even think about this, but it’s critical. The and design aesthetics here were intentional to accommodate Shai’s stop-and-start movements. Since he plays very unilaterally, many of the design elements are purpose-built to support that.

We also made sure to integrate the logos thoughtfully. The main logo, plus the shade logo underneath, while still keeping functionality front and centre. The patterns themselves were designed specifically for the style plate he uses. On the lightweight side, ensuring a light midsole was crucial – the team even made multiple trips to Asia to fine-tune it. It’s a bit like working on a high-performance car: you put everything in, test it out, and realise, ‘Okay, we need it 2% faster.’ That kind of precision and intentionality went into every detail of this design.

Once we started stripping things back, the upper became the real focus – and this is where Shai played a critical role in shaping the design and overall aesthetic. He was really thinking about how it could look almost like an art piece. Take this gold version, for example: if you put it in a capsule, you might catch yourself asking, ‘Is that a wing? What exactly is that shape?’ That unibody element was extremely intentional. On the science side, the interior is just as carefully engineered. The gillies run all the way down to the Strobel to lock him in, while the unibody construction adds another layer of precision. The lockdown system reacts to every movement – if you adjust it the wrong way, you won’t get the same secure fit. You can even see him walking in casually, slightly relaxed, but when he plays, he’s always fully locked in.

Yes, the silhouette’s traction pattern in particular feels very intentional. Was it shaped directly by Shai’s movement data, or were there broader athlete insights that informed it?
When it comes to movement, Nike started by scanning Shai’s full body, and even scanning his feet, to get a detailed understanding. They looked at everything, from his toes to how past injuries might affect him. Then they took him to the court to run through specific movements, using that data to inform the traction pattern.

The team also worked closely with engineers and biomechanics experts, studying his play from his University of Kentucky days through his time with the Clippers and up to now. They analysed how he moves, cuts and positions himself on the court. There’s even a detailed map of his high-percentage shots and preferred spots. All of this tech and analysis directly shaped the traction pattern you see on the shoe today.

The puffed upper, winged shroud and zip all create a strong, unified statement. How did you make that sculptural look work with performance needs?
What you’re seeing on the performance side is a mix of art and . There’s a lot happening underneath the model that isn’t visible aesthetically, but this small component is really what starts the engine. The idea of the silhouette as a sculptural piece was completely intentional.

Along with the locked-in gillies, you’ll notice how the SHAI 001 helps lock your foot in the moment you step in. That concept actually comes from ; when he shifted from a high-top to a low-top, he emphasised being fully locked in so he could cut to the basket and dunk over defenders.

Building on that approach, the team – drawing from years of engineering and development – applied similar technology to Shai’s signature. The lockdown extends beneath the collar and forefoot, while the traction and cushioning systems are carefully calibrated to support his movements. Every element works together to ensure performance, responsiveness and stability on the court, while still keeping the model’s sculptural, artful aesthetic intact.

Shai’s involvement seems deep, right down to hand-drawn sketches. How did that level of creative input reshape the typical product development process at Converse?
One thing Shai was really adamant about was bringing a element back to basketball. Traditional basketball shoes often rely heavily on synthetics and mesh, so we explored a bunch of different leathers – nubuck, suede, patent leather – and experimented with roughly 20 colours, which we put up on a wall. It was all about balancing his eye for style with what actually works on-court. For example, you’ll see how neoprene and nubuck complement each other, not just visually, but functionally. While some areas might not look extremely breathable, there’s mesh inside that ensures it doesn’t feel like a hot box.

We applied the same approach to the lining. It’s thicker than what we’ve traditionally used, but those circular perforations are deliberately placed to improve airflow. Everything was intentional: each material, colour and layer was selected to deliver a combination of style, comfort and performance that fits Shai’s vision.

Shai was a hundred percent involved. When I say that, I mean he was a hundred percent obsessed with building his baby. Whether it was after games, on weekends, or just during his free time, he was fully involved with the design of the shoe, the materials, the colours and even the stories behind it. He’s a unique athlete because he’s also a creator. At home, he has an art studio where he goes in and draws after games, instead of just sitting around watching TV, riding his bike, or going for a walk. For this project, he’d doodle, check out samples, line up designs, ask questions like, ‘Can we do this? Can we do that?’ and collaborate with us on what was possible. He even joined calls from the factory consistently. I spoke to him a lot throughout the process, from launching the shoe in San Francisco to the playoffs. Even after winning the Finals, the very next day he was ready to work again.

What made ‘Butter’ the obvious first colourway for the SHAI 001 launch?
It just stood out from the start. Even when we originally had the colour, we were debating: is it yellow? Is it a cream? Then he called me one day and was like, ‘It’s butter.’ And I’m like, ‘What?’ He said, ‘Shea butter.’ I’m like, ‘Shea butter… like the lotion?’ He said, ‘Yeah, Shea butter. You spin it however you want to. It’s butter.’ That was his intention.

He even had these ideas in his head like, what if we dip the shoe in actual butter? You start with a whole white shoe, dip it, and it comes out that colour. He instantly went from creating a shoe to marketing it – he was so excited. And you can see it now: announcers, articles, write-ups, everyone’s saying it. They even call it ‘Shea Butter’.

Lastly, how would you say the SHAI 001 set the tone for where Converse Basketball is headed, both technically and culturally?
I think what Shai and Converse have done brings the brand back into the game. Converse has a rich history in basketball with a lot of amazing players, and now we just so happen to have a new incredible player – first-time NBA champion, first-time MVP, two-time scoring leader, three-time NBA All-Star – where Shai’s going to help propel us into the future and shape what basketball will look like over the next five to ten years.