In 2014 a long time creative friend asked if I could help a friend on a project. It was a favor that was supposed to last a month. To date, this project has won Sneaker of the Year and has inspired more than a few projects for several brands. As I continue to support the vibe - from Calabasas to Hong Kong, I can't say a ton about the work or the process. But the two answers I typically give when asked about this adventure are:

1) He's a very intelligent and creative human being that is as respectful and understanding as any person I've ever met. During meetings with industry heavyweights in fashion and music he stopped to introduce himself to my son who came to model for the day. For that moment and countless others, I am always happy to jump in and roll up my sleeves.

2) I have met the most talented and kind people on this project. I sign off my emails with "Good things" because it forces me to end all communications on a positive vibe, no matter what the content, tone or occasion. Even during the craziest days of this project I've seen the positive folks succeed time and time again. Working with positive people is non-negotiable.

The v2 will almost never get used for it's intended purpose because of the reseller value. Unfortunate because I've worked out in them for nearly 2 years now and I don't have a replacement. We reinforced the interior to act a structural lining so you don't blow through the knit. To maintain flexibility we perforated the vamp. The fingers on the sides anchor the upper so it doesn't rip through - a typical blowout you find during lateral cuts.

Early days in the studio we had no furniture and no equipment. We went to target and bought shoe racks to hold the 2-3 dozen samples we constantly referenced. Luckily the boys were between camps and needed to earn some extra money. 

This 750 was 95% complete before I joined the team. We were able to re-engineer the sample prior to launch, but I didn't get the chance to see production details. Before the launch of the gum bottom we completely re-engineered the construction by removing the additional layers of materials and reinforcement often added to shoes to keep them bullet proof - but uncomfortable. This is why the gum sole version is buttery because the suede is allowed to hug your foot.

Found this scribbled on the wall of the temporary studio. Pretty accurate v2.