Throughout my years as a designer in the footwear industry, there have been certain constraints that keep cropping up. I’ll do us both a favor and try to refrain from a “you know what grinds my gears” tone – but I have to say, I’ve often felt overwhelmingly isolated in my struggles — this business ain’t easy. I’m sure most people who work in a creative field can relate to some extent, but footwear designers are a special breed. From common misunderstandings that lead to 3am phone calls, to surviving at times on a diet of caffeine and house music, these are the ‘6 Things Only Shoe Designers Understand’.
1. What you actually do for a living (and how you make money from it)
Telling people you design shoes for a living is somewhat like telling them you teach unicorns how to surf. It’s met with a mixture of emotions, from ‘what! that’s so cool!’ to ‘no way, bro! that actually exists?’.
To be completely honest, most of my family and friends generally have no clue what I actually do for a living — mostly because I can’t be bothered to explain it, and even if I did, it probably wouldn’t matter. The only time people realized I was actually doing something productive with my life was when they saw me making a little money and getting to travel a lot for business.
In reality, product design in general is very hard to explain — it’s research, ideation, modeling, prototyping, manufacturing and more. Explaining the entire process to someone who has no inkling is very tedious.
2. You (probably) didn’t design the shoes you’re wearing
Ok, so you might have designed them. I have quite a few shoes I’ve designed tucked away in my closet. However, it always seems after I’ve told someone what I do for a living, they always ask, “Oh, did you design those shoes your wearing right now!?”
…I’ve never once been wearing anything remotely designed by me whenever that question’s been asked.
A lot of people in the industry have designed things that they themselves have hated. Not every shoe/product that makes it to market is going to be one you’re proud of. It’s the same as every job, there are times where you have to make/do something you don’t want to. Also, even if you do like something you’ve made, it may not necessarily fit your personal style. Just because I designed the shoe doesn’t automatically mean I’m going to wear it. I’ll most likely have a pair, but that’s just to have it.
3. Concept renderings aren’t real and don’t come with a release date.
I don’t know how many times I’ve had to explain the fact that concept renderings aren’t real, and that they cannot, in fact, be purchased. Renderings are a part of a shoe designer’s portfolio and resume. Just because you see something online doesn’t mean its real.
4. How important the details are…
Let’s be honest, a large portion of the people buying your designs aren’t going to know the heartache you went through to get a certain detail produced, or what makes them as consumers actually like a particular shoe so much. The shape of the last and the amount of toe spring it has, the 1mm you raised a particular piece of suede, and how you used a specific lining material will probably be lost on most. But thats ok, because the 1% that do get it totally make up for it. Plus, though a large majority may not appreciate those details, those details are actually what made them buy your shoe over everyone else’s – without even realizing it.
You can also feel warm and gooey inside if you’ve managed to contribute something unique to the marketplace, and not just some regurgitated B.S.
5. You forget to eat.
When I’m fully in my design zone, I can completely forget to eat for an entire day. I basically rely on coffee and energetic music to pull me through during times like that (hence the CK Playlists). Once you’re in the zone and feeling it, you forget about everything else.
6. There are no such thing as ‘set business hours’.
Smart phones pretty much killed any chance of being unreachable at any time, anywhere. With footwear factories being located everywhere from China to Portugal, and dealing with clients around the globe, it means that answering emails at 3am, or having Skype calls at 9am on a Sunday are not uncommon practices. In short, this isn’t a 9-5 type of deal.
When he’s not bankrupting art schools, by scaring prospective design students with rants like the one above, Daniel Bailey is a very talented footwear designer, and serves as the co-founder of Concept Kicks.