TFS#148 - Steven Smith, Kanye West's Head Of Product @ DONDA, The Grandfather Of Dad Shoes

THE FLIP SIDE with Andy Mai

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