Without a shadow of a doubt, Steven Smith is one of the most legendary sneaker designers in history. Whether you're an OG or you're new in the game, you're bound to have seen or even worn one of his pairs. The brainchild of icons such as the Reebok InstaPump Fury, the New Balance 1500, and the Nike Air Zoom Spiridon Caged 2, he's also renowned for currently heading Kanye West's much lauded Yeezy sneaker division.
As part of our latest "Under The Influence" segment, we sat down with the godfather of dad shoes to discuss his design inspiration, hype culture, the future of Yeezy, and so much more!
How did you first pursue your passion for sneaker design? I've always been a sneakerhead. I ran track in High School and wore New Balances. When I graduated from University I started to look for my first design job and a friend steered me to a position at NB.
It turned out that I was only the second full time designer they ever had. The role of a sneaker specific designer was a new career at that point. I loved being able to design something that I, myself, could use.
When designing a shoe, what's your thought process? I don't have a real thought process, per se. I like to think of a problem or a concept and then focus on that. It is also good to constantly gather imagery of things that I am interested in. You never know where an influence can come from. I try to keep both my eyes and my mind wide open.
What are your top three sneakers that you've designed? My top three sneakers would be the Reebok InstaPump Fury because it was a tour de force of technology and disruption. It also was more of a machine for running rather than simply a sneaker.
Secondly, it would be the Nike Mary Jane Crib. It was a baby shoe inspired by my newborn daughter. It was a really fun project to work on.
Finally, Yeezy Boost 700 "Wave Runner". It was really great to create this with Kanye. It was a doorway to a completely new way to create a product with one of the greatest creatives of our time.
What do you think of the chunky sneaker trend? I think that the chunky shoe movement is fun. It's just another option of style and comfort as a branch within the sneaker tree. I try to be aware of what's going on mainly to go into the future rather than live in the current world.
Image via Brad Barket/Getty Images
Is there a single moment in your career that you'll never forget? There are two moments that will always stand out to me. The first was when I saw Steven Tyler from Aerosmith wearing the Reebok InstaPump Fury the first time. As a kid from Boston, this was epic as one of the rock gods chose my design!
The other would be when Kanye reached out to me to start working together. It was a completely alternative future for me. It has been a life changing experience.
What is your opinion on hype culture? Hype culture is entertaining, for sure. There has always been moments of interest in various people and movements. In the early days, it was the athletes and now it is lifestyle choices and music. It has just become broader as to who the current influencers are.
We're curious, what's it like working with the one and only Kanye West? Without question, working with Kanye has been the best time in my career!
Can you give us a hint of anything that's planned for the future of Yeezy? I can't give away anything for what the future holds - you'll just have to wait and see!
How have you been keeping busy over quarantine? I have still been designing away from home during the virus. I have been home most evenings so it has allowed me to revisit one of my favorite things to work on - building guitars.
I have been building them since I was in High School and have not had much time in the last fifteen years or so. It has been a great escape, and again, it blends music back into my design mentality.
Do you have any advice for aspiring sneaker designers out here? My best advice to young sneaker designers is to focus on making things better, not just different. It has always been my approach. Anybody can make things different, but making things better is difficult. Another great insight came from my friend Bob Gurr: "Do what you love."
Anything else that you'd like to add? Another piece of advice that I'd like to add, you can plan all you want, but things can change in an instant. Always be ready!
