Duality In Design
From Fine Art to Footwear, Shade Pratt is Just Getting Started
BY EMMA GEARY
Shade at work on “[The Revolution Will Not BeTelevised]” outside Denny Kemp Salon and Spa in Northeast Minneapolis.
Like her moves darting down the field, Shade Pratt’s career has never followed a straight line. From being a standout soccer player at Rosemount High School to competing professionally in the US and across Europe, her path eventually led her to Nike as a footwear designer. Her first project on the job? Designing a shoe for Serena Williams. But her creative expression doesn’t stop there—under the name FOLA, Pratt has also made a name for herself as an illustrator, painter, and muralist, using art as a form of activism and storytelling.
Her journey into mural work began unexpectedly during the protests following George Floyd’s murder in Minneapolis. “I felt compelled to capture that moment in history through my camera lens—to document the energy, the emotion, and the stories unfolding in real-time,” Pratt recalls. “My friends saw some people painting murals downtown and thought of me as someone who could contribute. At the time, I hadn’t picked up a paintbrush in probably seven years.”
Pratt’s approach to art mirrors the way she played on the field—driven by instinct, passion, and an eagerness to grow. She admits she’s a bit of a perfectionist, and the first mural wasn’t what she’d envisioned. So, she returned the next day and repainted it entirely. When she finally shared it on Instagram, the response was overwhelmingly positive. “It was a way to be present and contribute, creating something meaningful amid everything happening,” she says. “Art can bring people together and open the door for deeper conversations.”
“BEYOND THE PITCH,” Acrylic on Canvas and Foam
That moment reignited her artistic instincts, providing an outlet during a period of uncertainty both in her life and across the world. “I came back to Minnesota in the middle of COVID, unsure of what was next. Painting that mural reconnected me with my creativity, and I never looked back,” she says. “I had spent years developing my athletic abilities but hadn’t fully explored my creative side. It felt like the right time to make that shift.”
Pratt’s ability to translate personal experience into creative work has shaped her journey as both an artist and designer. After stepping away from professional soccer, she knew that footwear design was a natural evolution of her creativity. “I’ve always loved shoes. My first job in high school was at Finish Line, but I had no idea how shoes were designed back then,” she says. at changed in 2015 when a friend introduced her to PENSOLE, a hands-on footwear design program. “I applied, spent a month immersed in the process, and instantly fell in love. The designers leading the program became my mentors, and that experience set everything in motion.”
During her playing career, she balanced her off-seasons by occasionally honing her design skills and diving deeper into footwear. By 2020, as she was painting murals across Minneapolis and taking on commissioned work, her footwear design career was about to take off. In 2021 she accepted an apprenticeship at Nike, where she joined the team designing a collection for Serena Williams. After a whirlwind six months, Pratt was hired full-time as a footwear designer, working on everything from golf to American football.
Now, as part of the Innovation Global Football team, Pratt returns to her roots, bringing her firsthand knowledge ofthe game into her role. “‘My motto has always been to leave the world of sport a better place long after I hang up my jersey,” she explains. “I want to make sure every athlete has what they need to propel them to the next level. I like to tune into those small details that truly make the difference in their performance.”
“Art can bring people together and open the door for deeper conversations.”
Balancing a footwear design career with her personal practice takes discipline, but Pratt thrives in the duality. “I have my 9-to-5, and then my 5-to-9. I’m clocked in 24/7, but honestly, I love it,” she says. “Each role lets me express creativity differently, and that keeps it exciting—it never truly feels like work.”
Mural at Amber Union Apartments - Falcon Heights, MN
Her journey is deeply rooted in her upbringing in Minnesota, where the environment fostered both her athletic and creative development. “I had the opportunity to join the varsity team as an eighth grader, which helped me grow both athletically and in my confidence, playing alongside older teammates. In school, I was encouraged to explore different subjects—woodworking, interior design, you name it. The supportive environment in Minnesota helped shape me, and I always felt encouraged. That sense of endless possibility has stayed with me, and to this day, I’m always dipping my hands into something new.”
That openness to new challenges continues to guide her career. “Whether it’s in my art or design work, I’m always learning,” she says. “My friends often hear about my next project and laugh, like, ‘Here she goes again!’ But life has a funny way of presenting the right opportunities when you least expect them. I’ve learned that it’s about trusting you’re capable, even in moments of uncertainty—because that’s when we’re given the chance to do something extraordinary.”
To follow along on Shade’s latest work, visitshadepratt.com and follow @shadepratt and @folakreatifon Instagram.
Emma Geary
Emma is Collective Magazine’s Editor-in-Chief and LAB’s Brand + Editorial Manager. She loves getting lost in a story and is sharing her own on her Substack, Hot Girl Walk. Find her staring at the sun on her daily lap around Lake of the Isles
