TFS#148 - Steven Smith, Kanye West's Head Of Product @ DONDA, The Grandfather Of Dad Shoes
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Steven Smith, the Grandfather of Dad Shoes, is a renowned sneaker designer with a career spanning over three decades. He began at New Balance, where he transformed the brand's focus on comfort into stylish silhouettes like the 574 and 997. He later worked at Adidas, Reebok, and FILA, creating iconic designs and pushing the boundaries of sneaker innovation.
At Nike, he contributed to notable sneakers like the Shox Monster and Air Spiridon Cage 2. Smith then explored design and innovation in different industries before returning to Adidas to collaborate with Kanye West. This resulted in groundbreaking inventions like the Yeezy Boost 700 Wave Runner and the upcoming Yeezy 451.
Smith's legacy lies in his ability to create timeless and influential designs that continue to shape the sneaker industry. He's celebrated as an OG and an innovator in the sneaker game.
Connect With Steven Smith!
instagram.com/stevensmith 0:00 - Introduction
4:00 - Steven Smith on Racing His VW
5:32 - Working Setup with Kanye West
7:33 - Steven Smith on Making Prototypes
10:15 - How Steven Makes Footwear From Scratch
11:32 - Steven Smith and Kanye West Constantly Creating New Ideas
13:05 - Steven Smith and Kanye West's Unique Ideas and Visions
14:44 - 3500 Designs with Kanye West
15:30 - Kanye West's Color Palette
18:26 - Steven Smith on Getting Inspiration from the Older Generation
20:20 - Kanye West's Core Band (Circle of People)
23:07 - Steven Smith on Working with Donda
25:37 - Steven Smith and Kanye West on Making Affordable Apparel
27:50 - Manufacturing Foam Runner and Yeezy Slide in the USA
28:35 - Supply and Demand of Foam Runners and Yeezy Slide
29:14 - Can Steven Own Something He Creates?
30:56 - Steven's Mindset on Yeezy Replicas
32:42 - Reebok Instapump Fury: Scariest Shoe That Steven Made
36:51 - Tech vs. Design vs. Comfort of Shoes
39:23 - Steven's Interest in Other Brands of Shoes
42:25 - How People Recognize His Designs
46:22 - How Does Yeezy Design Before Steven Smith?
48:11 - Carbon Plate on Running Shoes
50:43 - How Steven Considers Different Shapes of People's Feet
52:38 - Steven on Making Comfortable Shoes That Fit Everyone's Feet
56:06 - Steven's Thoughts on UGG Boots
59:12 - Steve's Versatility in Making Shoes
01:01:16 - Steven on Updating Shoe Innovation Depending on Comfort
01:04:59 - How Shoe Designers Are Affected by the Fashion Cycle
01:07:36 - How to Be a Good Footwear Designer
01:14:40 - Steven on Working with Military Apparel
01:15:40 - Creating Something Out of Different Materials
01:17:33 - Steven Smith on Handling Stress When Working with People
01:19:18 - Steven Smith on Working with Kanye West
01:21:29 - Is It Possible to Make Universal Shoes?
01:24:18 - What Steven Mainly Focuses on in His Life or Career
01:28:04 - What People Does'nt Know About Kanye West
01:28:49 - Creating Solid Solutions to Certain Things
01:31:15 - Steven Smith's Taste in Fashion
01:34:06 - Steven on Working with Clothing
01:34:37 - Shoes Combined with Electronics and Tech
01:36:33 - Getting Inspiration from Different Cultures
01:37:30 - Steven Smith Collecting Antique Items
01:39:23 - Kanye West's Temporary Workplaces
01:40:51 - What's Inside Steven's Backpack?
01:41:55 - What Type of Shoes Does Steven Wear?
01:43:59 - How Steven Comes Up with New Ideas for His Designs
01:45:34 - Steven's Thoughts on the Future of the Design Industry
01:46:49 - Connect with Steven Smith!
01:48:14 - Outro
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