From kicks to sticks: Meet the Nova Scotia creative influencing major sneaker brands and hockey sticks too

Jesse Ingalls has always been drawn to the world of sports and he takes the trend of athleisure wear very seriously. The Nova Scotia-based sneaker photographer and graphic designer played football in high school, university and abroad. Today, his Glen Haven home studio is full of a staggering selection of vibrant sneakers and he calls himself the "king of track and sweatsuits." As a proud first-time dad, he also takes great care to select the coolest kicks for his stylish one-year-old son.

It almost seems serendipitous that Ingalls is now working with brands he admires such as Reebok, Saucony, Puma and Nike capturing the newest sneakers through pictures and videos in fresh and unexpected ways. But for his latest project, he's diverted from sneakers and teamed up with Sherwood Hockey to design the graphics on their recently released series of hockey sticks.

"Part of the reason why this project is really important to me is I grew up using a Sherwood," says Ingalls. "I get to help resurrect this brand and do it in a way that is not expected. What we're making right now is not your dad's Sherwood."

Established in 1949, Sherwood created the original wooden hockey sticks used by legends such as Paul Coffey, Bobby Clarke and Guy Lafleur. Now owned by Canadian Tire, Sherwood is one of the few remaining brands to continue manufacturing these classic wooden hockey sticks in Canada. Approximately two years ago, Ingalls was asked to put together a presentation for the historic brand.

"I don't have a preconceived notion of what a hockey stick needs to look like," he says. "I was asked to design a stick for a kid, who is 12 to 16 years old, and who doesn't want what is out there already. So I really went for it."

Ingalls scored the contract — he was told that his presentation stood out "like a bag of Skittles in the vegetable aisle." He went to work but wanted the new designs to tell stories and be more than just a logo. Ingalls has added his touch to the 'Code' series and is also working on new designs for 2021. The Code V features specific details such as camouflage inside the wordmark, made up of shapes which, upon closer inspection, are actually numbers. These are the jersey numbers of famous players who have all owned a Sherwood and experienced epic moments in hockey history. According to Ingalls, there are "Easter eggs" throughout the Code designs once you dig a little deeper.

Before landing the Sherwood contract, Ingalls had already made a name for himself as a sneaker photographer.

Whether it be avocado-hued sneakers displayed on a kitchen cutting board as if they're about to be sliced up, airborne psychedelic-inspired sneakers or a fresh white Reebok contrasted against lush pink flowers, the photographs shot by Ingalls always make a vibrant impact. Although creativity plays a big part, he also credits his success to practical skills like old-fashioned relationship building and being a multi-hyphenate creative.

"Essentially, I'm a single man agency. I'm able to have that relationship deal with the customer and translate what they need …  to then give them the creative presentation, " he says. "Then, I'm able to then set up the shoot and go do the shoot itself."

For more about Jesse Ingalls, check out our rapid-fire Q&A below. 

Life with Jesse Ingalls

What is your favourite pair of sneakers right now?

My favourite sneakers that I wore all summer long are the Nike Syracuse and the Kentucky Dunks — and my favourite shoe of all time is the Jordan 1.

Can you describe your current work-from-home style?

I only wear sweatpants. I typically have a bathrobe on until 11:00 AM, but it's important to note, I've worked from home now for four years. When I first started working from home, I would put jeans on because it made me feel like I was like actually working. After about six months, I stopped that and now I only own one pair of jeans and I own at least 15 pairs of sweatpants, really nice sweatpants.

Is your son now sporting stylish sneakers as well?

Yes, he is. He has a pair of toddler Mars Yards. You wouldn't believe the amount of people who message me on my Instagram stories when I put up pictures of him wearing them. If you go online right now, this toddler shoe is selling for $300. It's insane.

How has fatherhood influenced your style?

Oh, it hasn't changed at all. I remember when Sonny was born, I only wore plain black Kirkland T-shirts because he just spit up all over them, but I'm now back to wearing regular nice clothes again. When it gets cold in the winter time, I have so many fleecy sweatpants. I have an overall indoor North Face suit that's all polar fleece and I'm very committed to this look.

What is your dream job when the world goes back to normal?

I want to be a teacher at some point. Honestly, I'm doing what I want to be doing right now in my life. I'm really lucky and I've worked hard to get to the point where I am. My dad's here visiting right now and we're quarantine chatting and it's been really nice. And he looks at me and says 'I couldn't imagine a better career for you. You were a kid and I didn't know this career that you're doing even existed.' So, I have my dream job, but one of the things I would like to add into the mix potentially is teaching in some capacity, because I think kids are likely to listen to a guy who looks like me.

Originally from Nova Scotia, Nicole Trask is a North Vancouver-based writer who has contributed to BCLiving, Montecristo Magazine, Basenotes Magazine, Halifax Magazine and Flare, among others. She has a background in the film industry and enjoys writing arts, lifestyle, and human interest stories. When Nicole is not writing, she can be spotted running, biking or splashing around with her incredibly active toddler. You can follow her on Instagram and Twitter via the handle: @nicotrask.