The Emmy nominated actress, artist, and activist Cynthia Erivo has partnered with the creative conglomerate Adobe to help showcase the power of the brand's 3D tools. Together, they've delivered "Stories on Skates," a series of six one-of-a-kind digital roller skates created using Adobe Substance 3D tools.
Each of the skates highlights the intersection of Black history and global roller skate culture, inspired by the rise and resurgence of roller skating this past year. From Instagram to Tik Tok, rollerskating is a social media phenomenon, particularly when paired with trendy songs and captivating choreography.
However, while one might say that roller skating is making a comeback, for Black skaters, it never left. Today's stories have shaped skate culture are rooted in Black history and flourish thanks to the Black skate community worldwide.
Harnassing Adobe Substance's texturizing tools to bring these stories to life clearly and tangibly, Cynthia Erivo and Adobe composed digital roller skates concentrating on critical themes including music, choreography, style, empowerment, community, and legacy to shed light on roller skating's rich history. For instance, the Skate With Soul skate draws influence from the various genres of music found within skating rinks like funk, soul, and hip-hop. Likewise, the textures found on this particular set of wheels found inspiration in the music, with the clear acrylics and aux cable cords on display or the spinning slabs of vinyl and spooled Walkman fodder (you can learn more about the inspiration behind the designs from over at the Adobe Blog)
“I was so excited to work with Adobe on Stories on Skates to showcase Black skating culture, especially as an expression of Black joy and creativity," said Erivo in a press release. "This project brings to life stories from the rink that are inspiring, important, and deserve to be remembered. My hope is that Stories on Skates is a fitting tribute to skating and Black culture while celebrating its rich history in music, movement, style, empowerment, community, and legacy.”
This partnership also illuminates Black culture and experiences to help build and foster a creative community surrounding these stories. Adobe will release 2D and 3D design toolkits to allow creatives to share their skate stories and influences. In addition, users can share their creations and view others using #StoriesOnSkates on Twitter or Instagram.
The culture surrounding Black skating has deeply influenced the popularity of skating that we're now seeing through social media, and it's essential to understand the history and stories behind these trends. Thanks to Adobe and Cynthia Erivo, now we can.
