May 10, 2022
LocalNewsOnly
Ashley Hamilton, a Graduate of Colleyville Heritage High School, Launches Duality, a New Sneaker for Reebok and Fashion Retailer APB
Ashley Hamilton, a Dallas native and 2021 graduate of Colleyville Heritage High School, was on the launch team of a new limited-edition sneaker called the APB X Yellowbrick CL Legacy “Duality”. 150 pairs of the sneaker have been manufactured by Reebok and are being sold by fashion retailer APB (online at APBStore.com and in-store at APB locations in Columbia, Greenville, Charleston, Tallahassee, and Jacksonville).
The creation of Duality was a collaboration between Reebok; APB; the national education and workforce nonprofit Jobs for the Future; and Yellowbrick, an online platform that offers university-affiliated courses for creators who are seeking to enter the fashion, sports, beauty, music, and media industries. Launched in the spring of 2021, the partnership between the four organizations worked with 36 students, ages 17-20, to teach the knowledge, skills, and experience that’s needed for a pathway into the sneaker industry.
“Growing up, I loved to draw clothing and dresses and watch videos of how to create DIY outfits. I’ve always been inspired by how people use fashion to express their unique personalities,” says Hamilton, who is currently a freshman at Howard University and cites Rihanna and Kate Middleton as two of her style influences. “My experience with Yellowbrick was a creative whirlwind, and it’s education that can benefit anyone regardless of whether you’re a sneakerhead or not. I’m grateful for every one of the team members who were such gracious teachers, and I’m excited to see our Duality project come to fruition.”
The pro bono instruction that Hamilton received combined content from Yellowbrick’s popular Sneaker Essentials (a ten-week course that was developed in tandem with Fashion Institute of Technology and Complex.com) with live mentorship from leaders at Reebok and APB. The instruction covered product development, sales, marketing, and retailing. All participants produced a final project that included a unique sneaker design, a production plan, and retail/marketing strategies.
As a bonus opportunity, the three students who submitted the most compelling designs/plans were invited to collaborate on their concept for manufacturing by Reebok and sale through APB. Hamilton was among the trio that was selected to participate in the development of Duality. Net proceeds from the purchases of the Duality shoe will provide additional funding for the program.
“Our Sneakers Essentials course has been elevated through the work that we did on Duality with Reebok, APB, and JFF,” said Michael Godshall, Chief Creative Director at Yellowbrick. “Ashley was able to interact directly with Reebok and APB experts representing all facets of the industry, and we’re immensely proud of what she accomplished.”
