U.S. designer ushers in new chapter in illustrious career at ANTA

American designer Robbie Fuller, formerly senior design director for Converse and Adidas, has ushered in a new chapter in his illustrious career in China where sportswear has become a fashion trend as more people turn to healthier lifestyles.

As a prominent figure in the field of sneaker design, Fuller came to China with his family to join China's sportswear giant ANTA in 2016.

Serving as the creative director at ANTA, Fuller has helped the brand to gain international influence and market competitiveness with his remarkable talent and cooperation with his colleagues.

At an ANTA's logistics center that handles a million orders a day in Jinjiang City of east China's Fujian Province, many of the sneakers flying off the shelves bear the innovative touch of American designer Robbie Fuller.

"For me, this is an amazing moment! And each time that thing moves, it's like somebody somewhere said, 'Hey, I want something you've designed.' So it's a pretty cool moment," said Fuller.

Fuller said his career of designing shoes started when he was just 10 years old.

"I grew up in the southeast of the United States, which is a huge basketball area. When I was 10 years old, that's the first time I actually designed a shoe. February of 2001 the dream began. In my past it was mostly focused on basketball and running products. So, for example, I've designed signature shoes for 15 Hall of Famers," he said.

Fuller-styled shoes for famous athletes created a name for himself in footwear design, but he wanted more. In 2015, he answered a call from ANTA, then an emerging Chinese sports brand.

"I felt like, 'Man, this is the moment, this is the opportunity.' With the passion that the team has and also with just a huge amount of population that are maturing into a sport lifestyle and the spirit of sport," he said.

Within a decade, Fuller has realized his dream. His innovative sneaker designs have helped catapult the brand to the top of China's sportswear industry.

"Trends come and go, but winning is always cool because it's faster, moving forward, high performance, high technology. So yes, the pace is unbelievable," said Fuller.

U.S. designer ushers in new chapter in illustrious career at ANTA

Truck drivers and their cargoes sought refuge in a Shanghai activity hub as Typhoon Bebinca, the strongest typhoon to hit the city in decades, made landfall on Monday morning, unleashing heavy rains and winds exceeding 160 kilometers per hour.

In the Pudong District, situated on the southeastern tip of Shanghai, the impact of Typhoon Bebinca was stark, with trees and road signs uprooted, construction sites disrupted, and bicycles scattered across the ground.

Shanghai is not prone to strong typhoons, but local authorities have made emergency plans.

In Lingang Special Area, an activity hub was transformed into a temporary shelter for over 130 truck drivers and their cargoes.

"With such strong winds, it's not safe to park my truck on the street. Trees could fall. Parking here is a safer choice. The service is good here. It's clean, and it also provides food. We can take a shower here," said Wang Shaodong, a truck driver from east China's Anhui Province.

"The Donghai Bridge has been closed, as the typhoon is approaching. That's why we came here. They provide us with bedding, and air conditioners were turned on. So we are staying here. There are also meals downstairs," said Gong Xiangge, a hazardous cargo driver from east China's Shandong Province.

"We call these truck drivers 'men living on wheels.' The 13th typhoon [of this year] brought gales, with maximum wind speed reaching 36.9 meters per second, so danger may come at any time. So staying on the side of the street is unsafe for both trucks and drivers," said Fan Jianrong, deputy director of Lingang Special Area Investment Holding Group.

Although traffic resumed on all roads and bridges across Shanghai starting from 20:00 on Monday, precautions are still in place as Typhoon Pulasan, the 14th of the year, has formed in the northeastern Pacific and could follow a similar path to Typhoon Bebinca.

The director of the center said that the shelter remains open to those in need, ensuring that assistance is readily available for individuals affected by the poor weather.

Truck drivers seek shelter as powerful typhoon hits Shanghai