The IronDog Chronicles

Don’t throw away those scribbles…

And don’t pay attention to those snickers either. Because…Yes! Those scribbles and etchings of future sneaks or shoes that you keep drafting in your notebook are valued.

Check out Nike’s Future Sole contest. The contest is for 14-19 year-olds, and you can submit your design by April 1, 2008 to be a part of the contst. The winner gets a MacBook 15, software programs, and probably a network that a newly graduated designer would drool over.

If you’re a cynic, you may say that Nike would be swiping ideas. Yet, don’t pay that any mind. If you check out this ‘Sneaker Freaker’ interview with Brand Jordan footwear designer, D’Wayne Edwards, you’ll enjoy your creative process and you’ll see that you never know how things can turn out for you.

So, if you have a passion for shoes, or if you think that your design could change footwear, drop an entry to this contest. This is a good one.

For inspiration, here’s a great “Sneaker Freaker Magazine” interview with former Nike Advanced Project Engineering (APE) designer, Tory Orzeck. What’s cool is that he was a former X-Country runner and he took a large inspiration from Birkenstocks and understood that footwear design is “part-anatomy and part-art.” In fact, the side-lacing concept actually derived from orthopedic shoes.

In terms of innovation, I always regarded the Footscape as a major post-up threat. The interview touches upon how the early-to-mid ’90s were a great period for APE with innovative products such as the Air Moc (Damn, that was a bad ass kick. What a lounge treat…I still rock those around the crib.), the orginial Zoom and the Air Rift.

If you’re up for a good article on how innovation can bubble to the surface within a company, check out the article. It’s a fun read.

High Steppin’,

BD