Sabrina Šančić, the Toronto-based artist behind Bella Crystal Design, has unveiled a limited-edition World Cup sneaker collection — and with Croatia playing Panama in her own backyard on June 23rd, the timing couldn’t be more personal.
When the World Cup comes to North America this summer, Sabrina Šančić will be ready. The Toronto-based artist and founder of Bella Crystal Design — known for her hand-painted Croatian checker sneakers — has been building toward this moment since the Euro Cup. But this time, she has something new to show the world.
In a recent appearance on Croatians Online, Šancić unveiled what she calls her most ambitious design yet: a special, limited-edition World Cup sneaker featuring the iconic Croatian checkers alongside a striking shade of blue — drawn directly from the Croatian flag.
“The checkers on the sneaker are great, but the blue is also a part of the flag — and it just makes it so much more regal, royal, and timeless. I had to put it on there.”
The result is a pair she describes as designed to stand out — especially at a packed stadium. Croatia’s opening World Cup match in Toronto will be played at BMO Field on June 23rd against Panama, and Šančić is confident the stands will tell a story of their own.
“I think we’re going to paint Toronto in checkers from top to bottom.”
Toronto, a city that feels like home
For Šančić, this World Cup is more than a business opportunity — it is deeply personal. Toronto sits at the heart of one of the largest Croatian diaspora communities in the world, and the GTA has been both her home and her primary market since she launched the brand. She speaks warmly about the bonds she has formed with customers who have become friends, many of whom are now travelling to Toronto specifically for the game — and for the chance to finally meet her in person.
“I know there are so many customers that are not from Toronto that I’ve connected with and became friends with. They’re coming down as well, so it’ll be so great to meet some of them in person,” Šančić said.
The collection is also her way of saying thank you — a tribute to everyone who has supported her since the Euro Cup, and a celebration of what she calls the Canadian-Croatian identity.
Art, business, and stacks of sneakers
Demand has surged since the World Cup buzz began. Šančić has brought on a small team of assistants to help with preparation and painting, manage inventory, and handle invoices — but the art itself remains entirely hers.
“I am the main artist. When it comes down to the art form, that is all me — so that there is consistency across the board for every single pair.”
That commitment to consistency extends to matching sets. If a mother and daughter order the same design, they will look identical. It is the kind of detail that has earned Bella Crystal Design a following that stretches far beyond Canada — she has shipped to customers across the United States, Europe, and even Japan.
Her house, she admits with a laugh, currently looks like a sneaker warehouse. Towers of boxes, stacks of pairs waiting to be painted. It is not something she is complaining about.
“I’m so grateful that people are trusting me with their items and that I’m able to share my art form with the world — because it’s not just limited to Toronto now. It’s international. It’s everywhere.”
Fashion as a form of cultural pride
What began as a personal project has quietly grown into something larger: a way of putting Croatian culture into an art form that travels. Šančić sees her work as part of a broader moment — one where Croatian-Canadians, and Croatians around the world, are finding new ways to express who they are.
“We’re connecting through fashion,” she says. And with a World Cup happening in the city she calls home, the canvas has never been bigger.
How to order
The World Cup limited edition is available now. Šancić can be reached on Instagram and Facebook at @bellacrystaldesign, by email at [email protected], or through her website at bellacrystaldesign.com. She ships internationally and tailors each quote to the customer’s location and currency.
“The first question I’m always going to ask is: what size are you and where are you located? I want to make it as easy and smooth a transaction as possible.”
Listen to Croatians Online here:
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