In Their Shoes; Matt Powell, Sneakerologist

Did you know that Americans bought 300 million pairs of shoes last year?  Did you know what e-commerce sales were up by around 20% in 2013?  Did you also know that the average price of men's footwear in 2012 was $72?
You may not know the answers to any of the above questions, but Matt Powell of Princeton Retail Analysis has made it his business to know these and countless other fascinating other economically related sneaker facts in his role as a 'Sneakerologist', as he examines statistics, facts and trends about the industry that make sense of the past, and calculated forecasts of the future..
Understanding the business of the sneaker world has seen Matt become something of a sneaker superstar, with his name listed in Complex's 30 Must-Follow Sneaker Writers and Bloggers on Twitter”, and his LinkedIn profile is in the top 1% most popular profiles.
When Matt talks the sneaker world listens so I'm delighted to have him here as the latest name in my In Their Shoes interview series.

IDYSM: Hey Matt, thanks so much for your time. So, I don't think that I have ever spoken to a 'Sneakerologist' before. How did you get this title, and what does it mean exactly?

Matt: I gave the title to myself, as people were asking “what do you do?”  It means I study the business and culture of sneakers

IDYSM: Sounds like an amazing job.  Why did you start to study this area, and to what end do you continue to do it?

Matt: I was sociology major in college, so I’ve always been interested in consume behavior. As a retailer, you have to understand what make people buy.

IDYSM: On a day-to-day basis what does your work entail?

Matt: I write a lot.  I do research for the brands, retailers, the stock market and investment banks. I blog for Forbes.  I answer Twitter questions.  I get my data weekly at 9 east Wednesday and am constantly referring to what the data says, challenging my assumptions

IDYSM: What are those assumptions and why do you want to challenge them?

Matt:  I expect to see certain trends occurring.  If they do not then I have to ask myself where did my assumptions go wrong.

IDYSM: Do you purely factor in the financial value of sneakers, or is it important to also factor in the emotional attachment product can have to people too?

Matt: Tough to measure the emotional attachment. Often the emotions make small releases seems more commercially significant when they are not

IDYSM: Could sneakers act as a barometer of an economy’s strength or weakness?

Matt: Interestingly when the economy is tough, sneakers sell better.  I believe it is an inexpensive way to make yourself feel better.

IDYSM: True - not everyone can book a holiday to the Maldives or buy an Aston Martin, so do you see a value to sneakers being their 'feel-good factor'?
Matt: Without question.  Every time you put a new pair of shoes on, you feel better

IDYSM: This can go the other way though as we see some releases in the US create some pretty violent scenes over 'must-have' product.  Does this demand for limited edition product cheapen or heighten the industry?

Matt:  Those incidents are pretty rare.  The brands and the retailers work very hard to make sure their customers are safe. Unrequited demand drives more sales down the line.

IDYSM: How has the industry changed since you've been involved? Surely trends, mass production and the Internet have changed the landscape?

Matt: Without question the internet has been the biggest game changer.  Access to information and feedback has never been broader. The sneaker business is a premium business.  I think the internet has helped there.

IDYSM: You've rubbed shoulders with Wayne Gretzky, Michael Jordan and John Elway when you worked with MVP, how interesting was it to be around these names, who have such an influence?

Matt: They were all very smart business people and did not display a lot of ego.  Very involved in the concept of the business. Their vision was not just to sell products but to teach kids how to play the game better.  We worked really hard on this and I think achieved much of our goals. 

I think they picked me to help because of my broad merchandising background, and my vision of for the internet.

IDYSM: How does their influence filter down to what we see at a street level?

Matt: Their vision was that they wanted the site to help kids play sports better.  I think in a small way we were able to accomplish that.

IDYSM: Only a few years ago Vans and the Vulcanized movement seemed to be killing it - was low pricepoint x high volume sales a passing trend?

Matt: The Vans business has remained very good. Vans sales grew 25% in the US in 2013.  They focused on iconic products and kept distribution very clean.

IDYSM: Since about 2011 we have seen more and more high-end, high price-point produce arrive. How does the more expensive, aspirational produce effect the industry overall?

Matt: The sneaker business is a premium business. Much of the growth we have seen in recent years has come from premium price points.  I am very focused on watching the premium segment.  There does not appear to be any slowdown in sight.

IDYSM: How relevant is the study of Sneakerology in the current age?

Matt: I would say more than ever.  Brands and retailers can never have too much information

IDYSM: We seem to see retro, tech and premium as 3 hot areas right now, will any or all of these define the 2010's as a key era in sneaker history?

Matt: Retro is just fashion.  The tech advances that we have seen (and will see) are the real key. Consumers want technical products that can do more things than they ask.  I call it the “smartphone effect”

IDYSM: Finally, this is the question I end all of my 'In Their Shoes' interviews with, what's on your shoes right now, and were they a wise investment?

Matt: I don’t own any sneakers.

Follow Matt on Forbes here.

In Their Shoes; Ta-ku

Talented, driven and humble are 3 qualities that make Australian beat maker and Producer as easy to like as his infectious music.

I was first introduced to his incredible work when I shot with Perth store Highs and Lows last year, as they are mates with him and he provided his beats for the film (see here).  I couldn't get it out of my head, and since then I've become a big fan of his work.  

He's also fascinated in sneaker culture, and as the pioneer of the Instagram group 'Team Cozy' he's bringing together kicks lovers and appreciators from around the world.

With the above glowing credentials I'm delighted that he's taken time from his busy schedule to be the latest name to take part in my In Their Shoes interview series, so read on to find out more about Perth's finest.

IDYSM: Hey TA-KU, Set the scene for us. Where are you, what are you listening to and what’s happening?

TA-KU: Oh ok, right now? I’m in my studio trying to make something album worthy, instead I am draking out listening to Caspian and getting rather emotional.

IDYSM: So, how did you get into making music?

TA-KU: I’ve always loved listening to music and discovering it, however it really started when I heard Slum Village Fall in Love and literally fell in love with Dillas production.

IDYSM: For a while you were splitting your time between making beats and selling Health Insurance. I’m sure the music is healthy enough for you to just be focusing on that

now?

TA-KU: Yeah for sure. The music was healthy enough for awhile, but I enjoy the corporate secular world too so I was just going 100 on both.

IDYSM: Your music has a recognisable soulful feel to it, how long did it take to find your voice and why did you go in that direction?

TA-KU: Hmm I think that’s still ongoing you know? Im always finding my voice in different sounds and experiences. I think SOUL is very much apart of me and who I am tho.

IDYSM: Your work is championed by a lot of people including Hypebeast and Hypetrak. How important has working with leading influencers been?

TA-KU: Its been essential and an honour. I like working with like minded people who are enthusiastic and passionate. I would have it no other way.

IDYSM: Sound obviously plays a big part to your work, but so does vision. I’ve heard you say that your music is created visually, tell us about the process.

TA-KU: Aesthetics in music is SO important. We creative visual memories and patterns when we listen to music. Its just what the human brain does. It helps stimulate us. in the music

making process its important to factor in the visual element as it makes it that much more of an impact on our senses.

IDYSM: Are you something of an observer? I would guess you are as your photography on Instagram is pretty sweet – is it something you take seriously?

TA-KU: Yes it is, I love people watching, I love traveling & I love human behaviour. As we coast through life it is captured and defined by moments. Being able to observe and then

absorb those moments mean a lot to me. As they will never happen again.

Images courtesy of Ta-Ku

IDYSM: You are behind the visual outlet of Team Cozy on Instagram (@Team_Cozy). Tell us about how that came about and what it is?

TA-KU: Team Cozy started as a hashtag which expressed the notion of comfort over everything. However it grew into this strong visual aesthetic. Photographer and instagrammer

alike really embraced it by combining a keen eye for composition and really clean , warm photography into their love for comfortable clothing and street wear. Its evolving very fast.

Images courtesy of @team_cozy

IDYSM: It goes some way to showing your love for sneakers, what role do they play in your life?

TA-KU: I just feel complete with a nice pair of shoes you know? Its all in the details and also in the what they say about a person.. they hold so much character.

IDYSM: The sneaker scene in Perth is pretty passionate, how involved are you in that scene and with Highs and Lows (the globally recognized Perth boutique)?

TA-KU: They are all my HOMIES! So much love for them. We collaborate, eat, play ball, talk, exchange ideas weekly. Very close to the HAL fam.

IDYSM: You get to travel a lot know, is that opening your eyes and ears to new inspirations both musically and with sneaker tastes?

TA-KU: Oh yes. ITs such an enlightening experience to travel. It just broadens all horizons. Giving you a peek into different cultures and sub cultures.

IDYSM: OK, you’re repping Team Cozy here and it’s time for my signature sign-off question and I can’t wait to hear your answer to this…what’s on your feet right now?

TA-KU: Damn imma have to tell the truth but right now I got the 40s & Shorties high socks and Nike Solarsoft slippers. OG. ha!

Follow Ta-ku on Instagram here.

Follow Ta-ku on Soundcloud page here. 

And treat yourself - check out Drive Slow Homie Pt. III here.

In Their Shoes: Exclusive Stan Smith adidas Interview

The word 'honoured' doesn't do justice to how I felt when I was asked if I wanted to interview Tennis and adidas shoe God Stan Smith.

Stan's iconic signature shoe is a shoe I wore a lot back in the 90's/00's and is easy to love with it's timeless classic design that makes it as relevant today as it did 40 years ago when it first dropped, and it's amazing how the same shoe can be worn so many different ways by different people - surely the hallmark of a true classic?

Currently circumnavigating the globe to promote the epic relaunch of his iconic signature shoe, Stan has been interviewed by countless people around the world so I tried to come up with some interesting questions he might not have faced, so read on to hear his thoughts about how it feels to have been one of the pioneers behind a sports shoe collab, how the shoe game has evolved, and whether he's going to get adidas new boy Kanye West on the tennis court for some training.

IDYSM: Hey Stan, thanks for your time.  First up, you’re known as an icon of the sports world and of the shoe game, which gives you the most pleasure?

Stan: Well I had a lot more to do with my performance in my tennis career than I did with the shoe, but it’s been fun to see the shoe do so well!

IDYSM: Over the year’s what’s changed more and why; the sport of tennis, or the shoe industry?

Stan: I’m not an expert in the shoe industry, although I do know a bit about it. But certainly the tennis industry has changed dramatically with the type of racquets they’re playing with and therefore changing the style of play. It’s amazing how much shoes have evolved too. And how many different types of shoes there are, with the materials, styles and that sort of thing. That makes my shoe kind of interesting - it’s stuck around throughout these evolutionary things.

IDYSM: Marketing has played a huge part in the sports and shoe industries with both changing considerably in the past few decades.  Do you feel your role, being behind one of the first signature shoes helped pave the way for this?

Stan: I don’t know, that’s a good question…Whether my name really helped, or exposure with the shoes has helped that much; or whether it’s been the fact that the shoe itself has kind of taken up all sorts of identification for different people.

IDYSM: At its inception the shoe was a state of the art tennis shoe, how do you feel about it crossing over to become a piece of timeless lifestyle product?

Stan: Well it’s great to see how the shoe industry has evolved, and tennis in particular. The great shoes now have all sorts of bells and whistles. My shoes are pretty simple, even though they were hi-tech at the time. It’s amazing to see what’s actually transpired with that shoe and the fact that it really is a lifestyle shoe now. More people are wearing lifestyle shoes than tennis shoes, in fact tennis is a very minute part of my shoe identification.

IDYSM: The hype around the 2014 Stan Smith relaunch has been immense, how does that make you feel as not many shoes can generate such interest with so many different types of people?

Stan: It’s amazing to see the number of different people that have gravitated towards the shoe and that they think it’s cool. I think that’s what I’ve seen out of all this promotion - the shoe is thought of as being kind of cool for a lot of different people. Not just older people or younger people, I just think that it covers a big expanse of different people from different ages.

IDYSM: Your name first adorned the shoe in 1972, did you ever imagine you would be here 42 years later with that same shoe generating huge international appeal?  Let’s face it, it’s a shoe icon.

Stan: The simple answer is no. We thought it might be a four or five year relationship with adidas and the shoe, but we extended it again, and then extended it again, and then pretty soon it got to be pretty much a staple. Then we took it off the market a couple of years ago.  But now, they’re back and this relaunch has been truly exciting.

IDYSM: All signs suggest this year will be a huge year for adidas, any plans to team up with adidas new boy Kanye West?, maybe get him on the tennis court?

Stan: (Laughs) There have been a lot of people who have been involved in the shoe, that would be interesting. The most interesting one has been Giselle, but, she looks better in the shoe than most.

IDYSM: I always like to end my interviews with this question…what’s on your feet right now?

Stan: The one and only…

A big thanks to adidas and Torstar Communications for making this happen, and of course Mr Stan Smith himself - the smile won't be wiped off my face for quite some time!

The shoe is out in various guises now around the world - check it out now and treat yourself to some Stan in 2014!

2013 Round Up; April

My highlights from April saw some old favourites joined by some welcome newbies.

My stills of Futura featured in March, but in April I was able to reveal a short video I also Directed about the great man - a film that went on to achieve huge interest online which was fantastic!

Next, Sydney Fashion Week came to town, and IDYSM good mates Vanishing Elephant took centre stage and I was lucky enough to to shoot on the catwalk, but of equal interest to me was outside as classy threads met classy kicks by the fashion conscious crowd,

Finally, my 'In Their Shoes' interview series gathered momentum as Frank Liew, the brains behind Silly Thing shared his sneaker story.  The interview series is something you will see more of in 2014, as we hear from more fascinating (hopefully) sneaker peeps from around the world.

In Their Shoes; Ryan Hall, I Am Other

When it comes to speaking to interesting peeps with a love for kicks, today we’re speaking to the biggest yet, as towering in at 6 feet 5 inches tall, Ryan Hall of I Am Other is the latest name to take the time to speak to IDYSM.

The host of the Stereotypes video series, Ryan is a man after my own heart – hitting the streets to find those unique street stories.  He’s a man accustomed to being on the other side of interviews but as a huge sneakerhead he’s been kind enough to become an amazing interviewee in this latest instalment of ‘In Their Shoes’ as he talks Pharell, NY street culture, what’s kicking in his world of kicks, and if you're a size 12 (US) how you could maybe help him out.

IDYSM: Hey Ryan. So how did you come to be involved with I Am Other and what inspires your unique take on street stories?

Ryan: A mutual friend introduced me to the original director of "Stereotypes", Rae, who was in the process of interviewing potential hosts. I actually cancelled out on the first test shoot because I felt that I didn't have much of a chance at doing the gig. For whatever reason, Rae pressed me about a reshoot and the rest they say is history.

IDYSM: What’s your approach to targeting people on the street; Who do you approach, why, and how do you get them to open up?

Ryan:  Its all about feeling out peoples energy. Funny story, I used to do statistical analysis for a horrid survey company while working my way through college. I learned very quickly that no-one was gonna stop for you unless you gave them the grand introduction. I even used a British accent at times. It worked, honest to Jehovah, God, or whatever deity you believe in. I've not had to rely on that for "Stereotypes"… yet.

As far as the why and how, I really just want to know a lil bit of everyones opinion about everything I take interest in. Im a conversationalist by nature. Grew up in a home of counselors, lawyers, and a Judge. Everyone had an opinion, and a strong one at that. I learned early that if you don't speak up you won't be heard. I guess I want everyone to speak up, and in the process learn what defines their character; attitude, opinions, and all. By engaging people with a mix of light topics, and humor, they tend to open up. I slip serious issues in as the interview progresses.  It can be a really mixed bag.

IDYSM: I understand your background is in comedy performance, does that mean you’re always looking for entertaining and uplifting people and moments?

Ryan: I take whatever may come. I like happy and entertaining folk as much as the next person, but its good to have a variety. I like the challenge of getting to the core of what a person is feeling, and while the show is often humorous, I embrace the chance to delve into serious topics when the opportunity presents itself.

IDYSM: Looking at what you wear, you seem to take great pride in presenting a unique sense of style – what is your look exactly?

Ryan: Much like my interviews its a bit of this and a bit of that. I'm a very eclectic person and I like my style to reflect that. I hate to be put into anyone category, other than cool, which I have yet to actually lay claim to. That last statement was me blatantly reaching out for pity and accolade.  Never hurts to be a bit of a ham. Guess I'd say my style is all about embracing individualism.

IDYSM: Do you think your look stands out because your approach to style is outrageous, or because it’s getting harder to find fresh people with a unique sense to style these days?

Ryan: I think being 6'5" and thin I already stand out. My mom has great style so I was always motivated to put my best foot forward. Being so tall, it was already a challenge to replicate the things I liked so I had to always improvise. Eventually I just gave into my id and jumped off the deep end. I'm sure I'll look back at a lot of what I've worn and wonder what the Hell I was doing, but at least I've had a blast doing so. I'd rather be eccentric, and having fun than cookie cutter and unmemorable. I think people are hungry for individuals that stand out, which may have something to do with the success of "Stereotypes".

IDYSM: How big a part do sneakers play in your look and your life?

Ryan: I'm a shoe freak. I might literally be the male Imelda Marcos. I just built a walk in closet at my apartment to house all my shoes. and it still aint enough. Sneakers are such a mainstay I can't think of completing my look with out them, quite often. And I've realized Im obsessed with white sneakers. Ive worn my white Nike Blazer Mid AB TZ's so much I had to reorder them twice. Also obsessed with Pierre Hardy sneakers. If they weren't so damn expensive I'd own every pair! Have one pair at the moment but once I start getting real money you won't even have to guess what I'm wearing most often.

IDYSM: There must be some serious sneaker heat at I Am Other, how does your sneaker game rate, and I have to ask, is Pharell’s the best in the office?

Ryan: Like I said, I got a shit load of shoes. And considering your interviewing me I'll take the title of Sneaker King! Just don't let anyone else know. As far as Pharell, he could wear mismatched flip-flops and be cool. I don't even think he wears sneakers anymore. He just floats around on two miniature flying carpets, or those "Back to The Future" Nikes, but really from the future. He can do no wrong!

IDYSM: What have you learnt from being around Pharell?, surely one of the most influential individuals in contemporary street style.

Ryan: To just remain myself, and try to date someone as hot as Kelis at least once. I see him every once in a blue moon, but he's always so down to earth. And dressed in such a manner that suits only him. Seeing how comfortable he is in his own skin motivates me to remain the quirky guy I am, and hopefully shape the following around me rather than toning down my image to fit in and appease the masses. I'd like a gathering of open minded individuals that allow me to fit into my own space.

IDYSM: What’s the sneaker scene like in New York at the moment?

Ryan: Just as you imagine it, All over the place encompassing every facet that sneaker culture has to offer. Not a day I don't step out the house and find a pair of sneaks I'd like to call my own. The price of living in the New Rome. Real first world problems I'm suffering from.

IDYSM: NY’s influence has obviously been pivotal at key times in the history of sneaker culture.  How influential and iconic is the current scene?

Ryan: I think its pretty global at this point. NY has had its moments, and will always have a hold, but in my travels, every city I've been, there's a noticeable scene. Japan, London, France, Germany, LA, you name it, theres a scene. Plus you add in whats happening with the online community, and you've got sneaker freakers everywhere.

IDYSM: What’s on the horizon for you – both personally, and for I Am Other?

Ryan: Skies the limit both personally and for I Am Other. Always working on something fresh so keep your eyes peeled as I'm sure to pop up somewhere soon.

IDYSM: I like to end all ‘In Their Shoes’ interviews with this question, and I’m certainly hoping for something interesting…so, what’s on your feet right now?

Ryan: Right now its some dirty socks, but earlier I was wearing my favourite sneakers of all time; these ivory Alejandro Ingelmo Trons from his 2011 collection. I know all the details cause they're in the dying stage and I was Ebay hunting another pair. If anyone has the connect on another pair, size 12, hit a brother back.

In Their Shoes: Erlend Güettler Hanssen, Product/Brand Manager - Diemme

Diemme is a brand I came across after their great collab with the Australian fashion label P.A.M.  For those who haven’t heard of them before they offer premium shoes with meticulous design, impeccable materials and an aesthetic that reek’s of quality which is perhaps no great surprise as they are based in the renowned shoe manufacturing location of Montebelluna in Italy.  

Diemme is the product of the famed Calzaturificio Diemme factory which has been producing for brands such as Maison Martin Margiela, Chanel, Gucci, Bottega Veneta and Bedwin & The Heartbreakers for over 20 years.

Diemme’s initial product output started with mountaineering footwear of the highest quality, and from this beginning, their reputation and name has grown considerably to see them now operating as a collaboration that fuses their renowned Italian manufacturing, with leading names in Norweigan and Japanese Design and Sales. 

I was lucky enough to be able to chat to the brand’s Product/Brand Manager Erlend Güettler Hanssen about the past, present and future of a brand that I am a huge fan of – hope you like it!

IDYSM: Hey Erlend.  I hope you’re well.  Set the scene for us; where are you right now, and what are you up to?

Erlend:  Right now I’m sitting at the Blender Agency offices in Oslo, Norway, listening to a track that I’ve been stuck on these past few days; Prideless by Natasha Kmeto, and clearing out those last few emails that I’ve been procrastinating with through the busy periods. This time of year is the only real quiet time of the year for me, with SP14 sales deadlines over and done with and having sent all AW14 sample orders to the factory. These few weeks are quite normal, but then it all starts gaining momentum again in early December with new samples coming in and leading up to the start of our AW14 sales market which begins in early January – when things really explode and the pace is high until end April. I usually have around 40 days out travelling in Jan-Feb.

Blender Agency Offices, Norway

IDYSM: Can give us some history into how the Signor brothers who founded the company (Dennis and Macio used the D from Dennis and M from Maico to make the name DIEMME – pronounced; D.M.) saw the potential from within the Calzaturificio Diemme factory to start their own brand?

Erlend: Well, I guess they always had the brand, in a way, but not in the traditional sense that we would think of a fashion brand. They had Diemme as they had Calzaturificio Diemme - their company name - and they had products that carried various Diemme logos, but they did not have the typical two or four season way of approaching how they built the Diemme collections. And in a way there was not even a collection. What they had was rather an archive of everything they had done up through the years, showcasing what they could do, and then they had local distributors who built their own Diemme collections in a sense. You'd might have a German partner who sold country boots, an Italian partner that sold chukka boots, another partner that sold hiking boots - the Diemme collections were very fragmented and adapted to each individual distributor, without any clear direction.

The Calzaturificio Diemme factory, Italy

IDYSM: In 2010, Diemme teamed up with some leading names from Norway and Japan in the fields of Design and Sales to develop the product range to also include trend setting leisure footwear/sneaker product.  How did this come about?

Erlend: The partnership with GMT Tokyo actually started a few years before that. They started working with Diemme as a distributor for Japan, where GMT had control of the creative direction for the collection. It was GMT who introduced Diemme to the Vibram Cristy for example, a sole that has been important for the aesthetic of our boots and modernizing the look of the products. And GMT were the first partner that started selling Diemme to fashion stores.

When Blender Agency started working with Diemme in early 2010 we started introducing Diemme to some key fashion stores such as Odin New York, Tres Bien Shop and Oi Polloi. At that time the independent contemporary fashion market was very eager for brands that focused on pure and honest manufacturing and the whole heritage aesthetic. Diemme fit right into that trend and with Blender Agency having experience working with sales on brands like Alexander Wang, Rag & Bone, Marc by Marc Jacobs, Common Projects, Arc’teryx Veilance and Carhartt WIP we saw the need to change some things if Diemme were to build a long term position in the fashion market. As we went from being sales partners to a partner we pushed the need to evolve from being a “hiking boot brand” to becoming a footwear brand. So we started rather massively expanding the collections and building seasonal collections – which Diemme never really had done before.

The Calzaturificio Diemme factory, Italy

IDYSM: What is done to retain the Montebelluna roots of the company?
Erlend: The Montebelluna roots are in every detail of our products. The Italian shoe production industry is fascinating to me. They have such a long history of producing footwear and that is so obvious when you are working with Italian factories and suppliers. The industry was not just built over a couple of decades, it has evolved from generation to generation over more than a century. To me this shines through in every product as you are talking about artisanal work, not “production” in the sense that we might think about that word in the modern world. The Diemme factory has a max production capacity of appx. 80000 pairs a year. The bigger Chinese factories make several times that amount only in their sample rooms.

The Calzaturificio Diemme factory, Italy

IDYSM: Did this move happen quickly and easily or did it take time and planning so that Diemme’s product in this new field was taken seriously?

Erlend: It has been a process to change the perception of Diemme from a short term hiking boot brand to a long term premium footwear brand. Our products are not inexpensive, but considering the materials we use they are still very much value for money. There are brands that churn out inferior or similar products at a much higher price, which is also why we chose to be very transparent and list all of our suppliers on our website – practically daring everyone else to try and do what we do.
When we first started selling Diemme in February 2010 we had 3 samples. Today we are working on our AW14 collections which will have about 100 styles for men and 50 for women, replacing the visual identity, changing the distribution strategy, going from hiking boots to python skin sneakers. And all of this has been done in less than 4 years.  I guess that has been the key to our success as well; being young, small, flexible and sticking to what we believe is the best direction.

IDYSM: How much of your business is now split between Diemme’s outdoor/mountaineering based product, and the fashion forward casual/sneaker footwear we’re seeing more of?

Erlend: The fashion collection is the primary focus at this point in time, but when given the space and time we would all love to sink our teeth into the Hunting and Sports collections as well. We have some ideas and some potential partners that could really help lift those categories. The products are fantastic. They always have been and I think we could bring some things we have done in fashion over to the other categories to create more of a fresh approach to materials and components.

IDYSM: Diemme has worked with a number of companies in putting together some great collabs (including Vans Vault, Carhartt Heritage, Stone Island and P.A.M. to name just a few).  Who do you choose to collaborate with, and what differences are their between straight Diemme shoes, and collab product?

Erlend: Yes, we have been lucky in that sense as we have been able to work together with some famous and respected brands, the latest being Burton Snowboards this fall and with A.P.C. and Basso & Brooke for next spring. With us being a smaller brand we have wanted to work with brands that could help us gain more visibility. And I really like how we have found partners that are not necessarily in our segment but all seen as leaders in their segments; such as Vans Vault, Carhartt WIP and Burton. 

The collaborations have been very important for us. Not just in terms of visibility, PR and sales volume, but it has also been very helpful in terms of design for us to get other people coming in and looking at our styles from another perspective. It has definitely helped us in evolving our main collection as well.

IDYSM: What does the future hold for Diemme?

Erlend: Lately we are being picked up by more fashion stores where we sit next to brands like Saint Laurent and Lanvin and some of our best selling styles are python sneakers. Our focus on sneakers has also allowed us to break new ground in warmer climates like the Middle East, South America, and southern parts of the US and Europe. For SP14 we have also launched our women’s collection internationally and we see that we are able to enter the women’s market at a very high level. I’m not sure if it is the collections that have caused our distribution to change, or our distribution that has caused our collections to change, but I would say that our aesthetic has moved a bit more fashion.
I hope that we are able to build a long term position in the premium footwear market. But these past four years have brought on so many unexpected twists and opportunities so I have no idea where we are after the next four years.

IDYSM: I’m sure it’s something incredibly chic and stylish so please tell me; what’s on your feet right now?

Erlend: Haha. It is a pair of Diemme sneakers that were actually in our Women’s AW13 collection, but I had it made in a size 43.