Our First Sneaker Ever.
Our Number One Requested Item: Introducing The Emmy Sneaker.
We had the chance to chat with our shoe designer, Lauren, to learn more about the full journey of creating ABLE's first sneaker.
Where did the inspiration for the sneaker come from?
I was collaborating with our Creative Director Jordan, and we wanted to make sure that whatever we chose to be our first sneaker had elements that were still very classic to us. I wanted to make sure it included clean lines, was easy for her to wear in all facets of her day to day, had trend and fashion elements to it, so from there I sketched quick thumbnails, and Jordan and I talked through what we felt was the best option for our customer.
What was the process like looking for a vendor to partner with in making the sneaker?
Looking for the right partner was probably the most difficult part. We tried 2 or 3 options out of Mexico, but none of them had the right combination of all the things we were looking for. It wasn't until our current contact in Portugal reached out to me via LinkedIn that we actually found the right partner. He understood the aesthetic immediately, and from there we were able to really fine tune the whole concept.
How many prototypes of the sneaker did you get before finalizing the design? How long did that take?
The sneaker wa
s one of the first things I really started to work on when I first joined the team at ABLE in October 2018. We received about 3-4 different prototypes from various vendors, but again, it felt like we were missing something. With our partner in Portugal it took us 2 prototypes with small tweaks before landing on the final product. The entire process was around 7 months from design to finally placing an order. It seems like a long process, but compared to a full season, with various vendors, it was much tighter than most of our time frames.
What are your favorite aspects of the final product?
I love so many aspects of the final sneaker, but one of my favorite things is the platform bottom. The platform is honestly so approachable yet, has a little extra boldness to it. I love that, and also the pop of leopard in the back--they give it a little something extra to a classic white sneaker.
