I will be honest - I never really collected sneakers. Growing up in Hawaii, footwear to me was slippahs (thongs, flip flops, etc). I also never owned a pair of Nikes 'till I started working here, but if I have a favorite sneaker it would have to be the Jordan V. I remember being in High School and all the rich kids were rockin the black cement colorways, untied with the Jordan lace lock. I was way into skateboarding at the time and could give a rip about 'em. Now that I'm in the industry I can appreciate the design aesthetics of the shoe. The reflective tongue, the Visible Air bag in the heel, the Jumpman logo, the articulated ankle padding, the plastic mesh quarter and tongue panel, the design inspiration from an old fighter plane, the clear outsole...I could go on and on.
At the moment, Nike SB Zoom Air Harbor and the Zoom TRE. Both these shoes are at opposite sides of the spectrum when it comes to performance, but equally good in their respective categories. The Zoom TRE is a highly technical shoe with forefoot and heel Zoom Air, a skate specific shank, and an insanely durable toe mesh that is breathable, durable, and grippy. The Nike SB Zoom Air Harbor because it is simple, clean, sophisticated, comfortable as hell...you can wear it with anything, and it skates really well too.
Here at Nike, performance and the commitment to sports is priority number one. Many individuals don't recognize the athletic ability and equipment needs for skaters because they don't understand the sport. Here at Nike SB we take our business of building the best footwear possible very seriously. Besides taking the opportunity to really listen to our riders needs, feedback, and design input, there are the strict standards Nike commands for all its products.
We do tons of testing in our NSRL (Nike Sports Research Laboratory) where we run durability tests, impact resistance, traction tests, and high speed filming to study the rider's relationship with the footwear and the board. We also conduct wear tests where we let people skate and abuse the shoes over a period of time, we send out questionnaires, have one-on-one conversations with the skaters, and study the worn-out pieces of footwear to see how to improve the durability, quality and function of the equipment.
We do tons of testing in our NSRL (Nike Sports Research Laboratory) where we run durability tests, impact resistance, traction tests, and high speed filming to study the rider's relationship with the footwear and the board. We also conduct wear tests where we let people skate and abuse the shoes over a period of time, we send out questionnaires, have one-on-one conversations with the skaters, and study the worn-out pieces of footwear to see how to improve the durability, quality and function of the equipment.
Mike Vallely's World Industries 1989 Barnyard Board. Not only was it a great graphic, but the shape of the board was pretty pivotal in the world of skateboards as well. I had this board and skated the crap out of it; I wish I still had it to this day. Not only was it an ill board graphic but it was World Industries that we all knew growing up as opposed to the World Industries Flameboy craze of today.
I believe that a good designer can design anything. It is our job to adapt and understand the consumer and their relationship to the product. For any other situation yes, there is the opportunity to design for something that you do not participate in if you are genuine and observant. In the world of skateboarding this is an entirely different scenario. Skateboarding is not only a sport but a counter-culture lifestyle that has prided itself on being individuals.
With this type of industry there is a credibility factor that is involved and respect has to be earned. The culture of skateboarding is constantly evolving and to be a skater you these changes that affect the industry and are able to shift your design senses to meet the needs and design tastes of today's athletes. I think the mistake that big brands make when entering the skateboard industry is that they are not humble and considerate to the sport. It is expected that a big brand come in with guns blazing and buy the best skate team and ads, yet the in-house team is all internal and have no connection to the sport. Product is king and legitimacy starts with your crew and the product they produce.
With this type of industry there is a credibility factor that is involved and respect has to be earned. The culture of skateboarding is constantly evolving and to be a skater you these changes that affect the industry and are able to shift your design senses to meet the needs and design tastes of today's athletes. I think the mistake that big brands make when entering the skateboard industry is that they are not humble and considerate to the sport. It is expected that a big brand come in with guns blazing and buy the best skate team and ads, yet the in-house team is all internal and have no connection to the sport. Product is king and legitimacy starts with your crew and the product they produce.
I believe it is a natural progression for architects to transition or dabble in industrial design. It is the same course that I took on my career path and looking back it all makes perfect sense. In my opinion, architecture is the mother of all design. It spans centuries of civilizations and is mankind's mark on the earth. Architecture can leave a lasting impression that gives insight to how people lived at the time, their cultural differences, social interaction, as well as technologies and material of the time.
Thus architects have to go through rigorous training that involves not only physics, spatial planning, structural design, but also theory, history of art, and philosophy as well. Architecture can be considered a macro level of design, the management of large projects on lots of oversight, and industrial design is more of a micro level, details within the building such as door handles, light fixtures, and furniture. So in perspective it is a natural progression. The exception to this concept is that you rarely see a graphic designer or industrial designer being able to practice architecture on a proficient level; it seems to be a one-way street.
Thus architects have to go through rigorous training that involves not only physics, spatial planning, structural design, but also theory, history of art, and philosophy as well. Architecture can be considered a macro level of design, the management of large projects on lots of oversight, and industrial design is more of a micro level, details within the building such as door handles, light fixtures, and furniture. So in perspective it is a natural progression. The exception to this concept is that you rarely see a graphic designer or industrial designer being able to practice architecture on a proficient level; it seems to be a one-way street.
When I first came to 'the campus' (yes that’s what they call it) it was a little overwhelming. There were tons of cubicle offices and corporate heads walking around. They brought me through the MH building where all of footwear design and development takes place and to say the least, it was very corporate as far as the eye could see. As I continued walking to the end of the hall it started to get really messy and chaotic. There were posters randomly placed on the walls, boxes scattered everywhere, vinyl toys on shelves and window sills, shoes scattered across the floor, stickers on all the doors and windows, etc... that is how I new I had arrived. The SB crew is an anomaly here at Nike. They are all skaters, all down for the cause. We run tight and roll out as a crew, we ARE family.
Paul Rodriguez was the one and only inspiration and influence on this particular shoe. We met from day one with no agenda in mind to just talk and see what he was interested and doing at the time. While still keeping it casual, I was slowly building ideas and concepts and at the same time checking in with Paul on a regular basis to get his feedback and input on the developing piece of footwear. I used the Paul Rodriguez 1, his first pro model, as an entry point to see what was working for him on the shoe and what his needs as a skater was at the present time. We discussed the features, general styling and overall feel of his second pro model.
Very much so. The phrase that I like to use is 'different yet familiar'. I wanted the Paul Rodriguez 2 to have the 'skate silhouette' but yet have design lines that made it distinct when it was sitting on a shoe wall with dozens of other different skate styles. Not only do the design lines on the toe piece give it a unique visual quality and color blocking, but it is also a functional element that provides a one piece durable forefoot with a true overlay for superior durability.
I begin the design process with thumbnail sketches - hundreds of them usually. This allows me to be free with the sketching process and not worry about a large finished illustration but rather major design lines and visual cues of the aesthetics of the shoe. I then produce a larger sketch that puts the shoe in proportion and the relationship that the overlays have with each other, functional elements, etc. etc. Finally it is drawn in the computer to submit to the factories. This technical drawing also becomes the template for revisions and colourways for the final product that you see out in the market.
Paul's role was direct and indirect at the same time. Paul has a very distinct skate style as well as a keen and consistent steez. This heavily influenced the shape, design, and function of the shoe. He gave a lot of insight through the way that he skates and what works for him on a shoe. He also brought specific pieces of apparel and jewelry that he was feeling at the moment.
One element that he brought was a piece of jewelry that he purchased that was from the era of Alexander the Great who he was very intrigued by at the time. I went back and did some research and found that there were very similar qualities that Alexander embodied that Paul was brining to life through his skating. Alexander was young and successful, as is Paul and he had a drive and ambition to be the best. This piece of jewelry influenced the circular woven label branding on the tongue as well as a little Easter egg that can be found on the inner shank. You’ll have to cut your pair to find out.
One element that he brought was a piece of jewelry that he purchased that was from the era of Alexander the Great who he was very intrigued by at the time. I went back and did some research and found that there were very similar qualities that Alexander embodied that Paul was brining to life through his skating. Alexander was young and successful, as is Paul and he had a drive and ambition to be the best. This piece of jewelry influenced the circular woven label branding on the tongue as well as a little Easter egg that can be found on the inner shank. You’ll have to cut your pair to find out.
I thought it would be funny to acknowledge those who cut the shoe apart to find out the hidden secrets. When I worked at other shoe companies we would cut apart shoes that we were interested in finding out how the built the shoe as well as how it worked. I knew at some point someone somewhere would do that and I wanted to include a little inside joke. It also lists the key players involved in designing the shoe, one being the lead engineer here - Brian Linkfield.
There is a lot serious technology and design features under the hood of the P-Rod 2. The whole goal from the start of the project was to design a shoe that performs under demanding circumstances, is durable as all hell, and reflects Paul's personality and individual style. The fact that most of it is hidden is annoying at first, because there is all this hard work that went into this shoe that might not even be recognized, but on the other hand it is a good thing. Good design tends to work seamlessly.
You don’t even pay attention to how good it actually is because it does what it is supposed to do, if they want to find out more the information is available to them through our communications, the web, as well as just taking a closer look at the shoe. For example, all the guts of the shoe can be seen if you just lift up the sockliner. I designed an open mesh stroble at the bottom of the upper, which is usually solid, so that you are able to see the Zoom heel Airbag as well as the skate specific shank. So in a sense yes, I let the product speak for itself and if the individual wants to find out more, there are hidden features available if they explore the details of the shoe.
You don’t even pay attention to how good it actually is because it does what it is supposed to do, if they want to find out more the information is available to them through our communications, the web, as well as just taking a closer look at the shoe. For example, all the guts of the shoe can be seen if you just lift up the sockliner. I designed an open mesh stroble at the bottom of the upper, which is usually solid, so that you are able to see the Zoom heel Airbag as well as the skate specific shank. So in a sense yes, I let the product speak for itself and if the individual wants to find out more, there are hidden features available if they explore the details of the shoe.
Initially yes, I always strive to up the ante with every project and see how far we can push it. But we also made a promise when we released the TRE - we promised that it would be the benchmark of the brand and what we learned from the development of that shoe we would carry into other skate friendly models. The P-Rod 2 in essence, has all the guts of the TRE on a skatier upper.
The TRE is an anomaly here with the crew; no one ever expected it to do as well as it did because of the high price point as well as the tech factor we brought back to the game when everyone else in the industry was creating low price-point basic skate shoes.
I have not seen any resemblance in the industry yet but then again it was not an easy shoe to build as well. Put it this way, I have a registered Patent under Nike with my name on it for the TRE. Crazy.
The Free Rod as we call it, is part of the “Paul Rodriguez 2 Collaboration Projects” to anniversary last years projects with Stash, Futura, Tinker, etc. This year, the concept was to up the ante in terms of 'collabs' that has flooded the marketplace in the past few years. It is very common practice to release colourways, material changes, or printed graphics on footwear to tell a 'story'. This year I decided to move forward and re-interpret the P-Rod 2 into entirely different models soliciting key Nike designers. The brief was to express through design what each designer was known for or interested in at the moment.
For example, Eric Avar one of the top designers here at Nike is currently working on a combat boot for the military and he chose to transform the P-Rod 2 into a combat hybrid that has the P-Rod 2 DNA with a flip. I chose to mash up the P-Rod 2 and the Free shoes to represent Nike's commitment to the advancement of footwear in the running field and see how it could benefit skateboarders. The studies that went into developing the Free concept took years of research and is a simple, yet very beneficial concept that allows the foot to perform naturally while running.
Skateboarders on the other hand not only need the freedom of movement but they also require an upper that is durable and supportive. This concept of the Free Rod created a platform on which to test the feasibility of the Free concept and how it would be applicable in the sport of Skateboarding. After some tests with the NSRL doing high speed filming and testing there were some new developments on how this could benefit Skaters. In Skateboarding besides pushing, there is not much heel ball transition movement required but what was discovered was how the outsole had inflection while during flip tricks. This inflection allows the shoe to be flexible while maintaining a consistent surface as the shoes slides up the side of the board. To make a long complicated story short, the Free Rod was not only a design 'collab' but a tool that I used to study and develop advanced ideas which are now being applied to the next generation of the Nike SB Zoom TRE - the Zoom Air Celair coming Spring 08.
For example, Eric Avar one of the top designers here at Nike is currently working on a combat boot for the military and he chose to transform the P-Rod 2 into a combat hybrid that has the P-Rod 2 DNA with a flip. I chose to mash up the P-Rod 2 and the Free shoes to represent Nike's commitment to the advancement of footwear in the running field and see how it could benefit skateboarders. The studies that went into developing the Free concept took years of research and is a simple, yet very beneficial concept that allows the foot to perform naturally while running.
Skateboarders on the other hand not only need the freedom of movement but they also require an upper that is durable and supportive. This concept of the Free Rod created a platform on which to test the feasibility of the Free concept and how it would be applicable in the sport of Skateboarding. After some tests with the NSRL doing high speed filming and testing there were some new developments on how this could benefit Skaters. In Skateboarding besides pushing, there is not much heel ball transition movement required but what was discovered was how the outsole had inflection while during flip tricks. This inflection allows the shoe to be flexible while maintaining a consistent surface as the shoes slides up the side of the board. To make a long complicated story short, the Free Rod was not only a design 'collab' but a tool that I used to study and develop advanced ideas which are now being applied to the next generation of the Nike SB Zoom TRE - the Zoom Air Celair coming Spring 08.
Nope. This was strictly a 'collab' project and a one-time deal only. I believe that there is a purity to design, especially when it comes to heritage footwear, and that to forward the advancement of design and performance we as designers need to reinvent ourselves every day. There may be 'inspired by' ideas but the blatant hybrid idea I believe is a gimmick. The Frankenstein Hybrid shoe performs neither here nor there and in the end it takes away from the honourable intent and function of the original shoes that were spliced apart to make the hybrid.
The Free Rod release date will be announced at a later date and will be in limited quantity at select skateboard shops near you.
Yes, I took a lot of the rider and consumer feedback on those particular models to develop new style for the SB line.
Anyone that has lived in the City of Angles, LA for a bit knows the area code is 310. There is another part of Southern California , nicknamed the 'Valley', that has a little reputation as well and you can spot them out by the area code 818. Paul still lives there to this day and holds it down and runs it strong. It's an homage to his hometown.
Jordan is a huge influence and inspiration in Paul’s life I felt that for the launch colourway it was appropriate to pay respects to the Man. On Paul's shoe if you look closely it has a lot of Nike DNA and heritage and speaks to the people that really know what’s going on.
The P-Rod 2 is a very important shoe, as with all things the second attempt is the most telling. You can do it once but to be successful a second time around is the key to establishing credibility and longevity. As Paul grows with the brand it is key that we support his skateboarding through relative and performance related product. Each shoe just as the Jordans, should tell a story of a point of time in Paul's life and it becomes a timeline for legacy. Paul is the Jordan of the SB brand and we envision him doing great things in the future. As for the second part of the question, those are big shoes to fill.
As with anything there are a ton of factors that go into creating something with compromises and changes along the way. Some of the alterations were done because of factory capabilities, some of them were made so that the shoe would perform better, and other were done purely for aesthetics.
Stylistically creating a busy looking shoe does not necessarily mean that it is tougher or more durable. There are design lines that are there for flow and balance but for the most part the upper reflects the honesty of the design. I wanted a design that was clean yet had details that would present it as a premium product. Things like the monogram, the perforation details, the premium logo hit on the vamp, the lace ends, etc.. all these design elements bring the shoe together on an aesthetic level while creating a functional piece of footwear. The purity of the design lines allows these details to stand out without being overstated.
The Harbor is an evolution of the original vulcanized shoe, the Blazer. We have the Blazer in our SB line and it is a go to favorite amongst many of our riders. I chose to peruse the Nike SB Harbor because of rider demand but to also create new style with a different feel. If you pay close attention to the design lines and details on the Harbor it is very different from any other vulcanized shoe on the market. It has a very mature and dress shoe look to it with a little boat shoe flair added in to make it an SB piece of footwear. The toe is a true overlay with a stitch and turn, which makes it very durable and skatey. An added bonus is that it has the impact protection that no other company can provide on a model like this, Zoom Air. Word is bond.
Right now it has to be the Money Cat or Manelki Neko Dunk series. That series contains the Dunk Mid which is exclusive to Nike SB as well as the rest of the family. Following up with the last Dunk family series I coloured - the Three Bears Pack, the Money Cat series paid homage to the Lucky Cats that filled the windows of storefronts when I was a kid back home in Hawaii. They were intended to bring good fortune, wealth, or ward off evil spirits, to the shop depending on which cat they had. This story started with a graphic done by our graphic designer, Damion and was transformed into a series of shoes. This series is special because it has my 'Mon' or family crest embroidered on the toe piece.
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