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

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