HOUSTON – Ranard Hardman and his unique custom-painted and airbrushed shoes are now must-haves locally and around the world.
Hardman told KPRC it took eight years of hard work and a little bit of luck.
“One day, I was, like I said, working at Target, and I decided it was time for me to leave this job. And I left and walked out on faith,” said Hardman.
About six months later, one of his custom designs caught the attention of a Houston area rap legend.
“Paul Wall saw them and posted them up and said ‘BEST J’s EVER,’” Hardman said.
The shoes were a hit and Hardman’s business took off. He’s now taking orders from folks around the world.
“If someone wants some custom shoes, all they have to do is tell me what kind of shoe they want. If they have the shoe, [they’ll] send me a picture, tell me what they want, and I design from there,” Hardman said.
Hardman has even built a relationship with the Houston Astros who asked him to do live custom work at Minute Maid Park.
His most recent design and creation went to the family of Yordan Alvarez.
He’s also designed shoes for Bun B, Kevin Hart, and Mary J. Blige.
Hardman said the best part is that he gets to work from home and spend time with his pregnant wife and six kids.
If you would like to see some of Hardman’s work you can visit his website Home | Nard Got Sole Customs
Or check out his Instagram at Nard Got Sole Customs.