Senna Made: Where Sneakers, Art and Golf Headcovers Meet

“Matt! All you do is talk about golf. You watch golf. You play golf all the time. You need to do something in golf!”

Those words of wisdom from a loving wife, a “nobody cares, work harder” mentality and a love for sneakers gave Matt Senna his start in golf.

Nearly six years after those inspirational words were spoken and more than a decade since conceiving the idea, Senna Made is bringing luxury goods (and inclusive spaces) to the game of golf.

For Senna, a designer, artist and maker, it signifies the fulfillment of a dream he’s had since he was a boy watching his dad worshiping on the golf course on Sunday mornings instead of in a church pew.

From that sentimental start, Senna’s journey became much more convoluted than linear. Before founding Senna Made, he apprenticed in the world of sneakers and streetwear.

Senna hustled through college by starting his own clothing line. The problem? No one knew who he was. The solution? Sneakers. He started one of the first sneaker reselling shops in his corner of New Jersey. It might have been a little before its time, however.

“So the only thing we carried outside of shoes was our brand,” Senna says. “Reselling was so new that people would come in and see these shoes at $400 for a pair and they’re like, ‘I can’t afford those. OK, I’ll pick up a T-shirt.’”

It was then that he learned how to hustle and how to be his own boss. This came in handy later when, dissatisfied with his agency desk job, Senna gave himself one year to find his true passion.

What did he turn to? The one thing he knew: Sneakers.

“When my grandfather passed away, my uncle kept his white Chuck Taylors,” Senna says. “I was sitting at my house one day and I looked at my grandfather’s shoes and was like, ‘What would that shoe be for me?’”

Senna settled on the Air Jordan 11. Looking up at his grandfather’s crusty Chuck Taylors, Senna decided then and there that he would find a way to memorialize sneakers as art. This was his way out of the dead-end agency gig that was bogging down his creative spirit.

Hence, Senna’s sneaker sculptures took shape and soon S-tier celebrities like DJ Khaled and Common were singing their praises.

“I’ve spoken in China, I’ve been to Spain and I’ve spoken in Mexico and all over Italy. It’s been kind of a crazy ride with the sculptures for sure. Nobody knows that Senna Made started right around the same time as the sculptures.”

From The Ashes

Senna Made wasn’t just the follow-up to Senna’s sneaker sculptures. It was actually born around the same time. But, as a young entrepreneur with little financial backing, Senna had to choose one to focus his efforts and finances on.

It paid off. Sticking with sneaker sculptures gave Senna the freedom to eventually build, market and scale Senna Made.

That interaction he had with his wife? That’s what really kickstarted the whole thing.

“I pulled out one of those clubhead covers that I was developing. She was like, ‘Those things are awesome! What are you doing with that?’ And she pushed me to really start it.”

While Senna’s sneaker sculptures are still doing their thing, his time and attention are increasingly focused on Senna Made’s latest priorities: luxury goods and the Clubhouse.

Something Different

Let’s start with the goods. Senna’s signature product is his leather headcovers. Inspired by a headcover passed down from his grandfather to his dad and then to him, Senna Made’s focus is on making goods that pay homage to the heritage of golf.

Outside of his premium line of headcovers and bag offerings, Senna’s been developing a cotton clothing line.

A Safe Space

The brand also focuses on building community, specifically a safe space for all golfers to feel welcome.

“I mean, that’s how the Clubhouse started,” Senna says. “My wife was new to the game and some of her friends were. We took them out and they had never played before. It’s getting people into the game that are both new and old.”

The Senna Made Clubhouse in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., is outfitted with top-of-the-line golf simulators to give every golfer a place to work on their game, no matter what their skill level. Senna is also working on a new Clubhouse in St. Petersburg, Fla.

As for what’s coming down the pipe, Senna is bullish. After speaking with him for nearly an hour, it’s easy to feel connected to his mission and goals.

“I want to create and tell stories and experiences,” he says. “When they look at it or when they use it, then it becomes part of that journey of making themselves the best version of themselves.”

Whether through the Senna Made Clubhouse, his luxury headcovers and shoe bags or those Chuck Taylors that still sit on his shelf, the message is clear and consistent: Chase your dreams and become the best version of yourself.