Ashley Bess
Creative Director | Product Development & Brand Strategy
New to Contra
Ashley is ready for their next project!
BESS is my independent art practice exploring memory, identity, and cultural history through sculptural leather reliefs of everyday objects.
As the artist and creative director, I oversee every aspect of the practice, from conceptual development and material experimentation to fabrication, visual storytelling, and presentation.
The work reflects my approach to creativity beyond commercial design, bringing together original thinking, craftsmanship, and a distinct visual language to transform familiar objects into meaningful contemporary art.
Explore more at bessobjects.com (http://bessobjects.com) or @bessobjects (https://www.instagram.com/bessobjects/) on socials
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Reimagining Relevance Through Design
How do you take an established footwear brand and introduce a fresh perspective without losing what makes it recognizable?
For this independent Skechers concept, I explored how evolving consumer tastes, trend-driven design, and material innovation could bring new energy to the brand's footwear offering.
The objective wasn't simply to make a sneaker look more fashionable. It was to reconsider how silhouette, construction, color, and materials could work together to create something that felt more contemporary, expressive, and relevant to a style-conscious consumer.
Finding the Opportunity
A brand's history can be one of its greatest strengths, but staying relevant requires an understanding of how consumer expectations and design preferences evolve.
I approached this project by looking beyond traditional athletic footwear, drawing inspiration from fashion, architecture, nature, textiles, and contemporary design.
Rather than following trends literally, I wanted to identify the elements that could translate meaningfully into footwear, whether through unexpected color combinations, dimensional textures, layered constructions, or material contrasts.
Translating Inspiration Into Product
I developed four distinct color and material stories, each with its own visual identity and emotional direction.
Desert Garden Pastels explored softer, restorative hues, tonal layering, and understated textures.
Playful Primaries brought together saturated colors, energetic contrasts, and expressive material combinations.
Sunset Sands drew from natural landscapes, warm earth tones, and the relationship between organic textures and geometric forms.
Cumulus Clouds balanced cool blues and greens with softer neutrals, introducing a fresh perspective on dimensional materials and layered surfaces.
These weren't simply palettes. Each direction considered how materials such as engineered mesh, textured knits, coated fabrics, and dimensional overlays could reinforce the color story while contributing to the shoe's overall design.
From Concept to Construction
Beyond color and material research, I explored new sneaker silhouettes through hand sketching, proportion studies, and technical design development.
The final concepts incorporated sculptural sole constructions, layered upper components, dimensional details, and a combination of performance-inspired and fashion-oriented materials.
I developed digital footwear renderings and a detailed technical concept identifying potential materials and construction methods, connecting the creative direction to a more tangible product-development framework.
The Bigger Picture
This project represents how I approach product design as both a creative and strategic discipline.
Modernizing a brand isn't necessarily about changing everything. It's about understanding what's worth preserving, recognizing where there's room to evolve, and introducing new design perspectives that connect with the next generation of consumers.
The result was a collection of conceptual footwear directions demonstrating how research, color theory, material exploration, and technical design can come together to create a fresh product identity.
Independent conceptual design study. Not an official Skechers collaboration.
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Taking on new creative projects.
My background spans footwear design, product development, creative direction, and brand strategy, with years of experience bringing ideas from initial concept to market.
I work with brands and businesses looking to develop thoughtful products, strengthen their visual identity, or bring a fresh perspective to their creative process.
Whether it's building a product assortment, identifying market opportunities, or developing a concept from the ground up, I bring both a creative and commercial perspective to the work.
Currently available for freelance projects, consulting, and creative collaborations.
Let's connect.
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Snapshots of trend reports for a fast fashion brand I worked with.
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