LEXINGTON, Ky. — Marcus Floyd is a Lexington custom tennis shoe designer and creator behind the rare idea of sneakers – for horses.
In less than a year, Floyd has shaped and transformed the way many people think when they hear “Horse Kicks.” After the horse sneakers hit the scene last fall, new opportunities are flying in for the designer.
One of those opportunities is the chance to help Dallas Mavericks basketball player Luka Doncic with a special pair of horse kicks modeled after his shoes. “They were gifted, and he signed the shoe and put it inside what I called the red Trojan barrel,” said Floyd.
More recently, he brought the horse kicks concept to the attention of those in horse racing and at the Kentucky horse park.
For the time being, racing fans can find an actual model of the shoe Floyd crafted by hand at the park’s international horse museum.
Museum education coordinator Tony Eley says he was sold on the concept after seeing Floyd in a TV commercial for Visit-Lex, the group that helped bring Floyd’s concept to life.
“It was my first interaction, and I sent it to my friend who is a big basketball fan,” Eley explained. “As I started to dive into possible speakers, I thought that you know Marcus was a Lexington native and this was kind of inspired here,” he said, explaining how he chose Floyd to speak at an event at the horse park.
Floyd said that’s what horse kicks are all about, connecting different parts of Lexington to historical aspects in Kentucky.
Floyd says he wants to bring a level of color, modern fashion and culture to Kentucky and one day — the Derby.
“It’s about getting my artwork out there and spreading my message for the world to be able to see my art and just be able to share it with them,” he said.
Floyd said he is honored to help the city earn recognition from international ad awards and is grateful to the Lexington tourist group, Visit Lex, and Cornett advertising for seeing things through.
“You know, it wasn’t just me that I felt like deserved the success from Horse Kicks because there were a lot of people in the background who made things happen,” Floyd said.
Floyd is currently working on finishing a prototype that will be sent across the country. He’s hoping that prototype could head to a full-blown production for Horse Kicks.