June 21, 2023

#144 From Sketch to Final Product: How Running Shoes are Made (ft. Richard Kuchinsky of Directive Collective)

1 hour 10 minutes

This episode is a behind-the-scenes look at running shoe design and production. Matt & Nathan are joined by special guest Richard Kuchinsky, founder of Directive Collective and an expert in footwear design and development. They explore an array of topics–from defining industrial design and the significance of consultants in the footwear industry to Richard's proudest project with The Directive Collective, this is an inside look at the shoe design process from initial sketches to the finished product. Delving deeper, they discuss the factors influencing shoe pricing and the emerging trends Richard foresees in the ever-evolving footwear landscape. Additionally, they examine the categorization of running shoes, the pivotal role of comfort and "feel" in selecting the right shoe.

Chapters

0:00 - Intro

5:20 - Defining industrial design

10:44 - The role of consultants in the footwear industry

13:16 - What is The Directive Collective?

19:50 - The project Richard is most proud of

22:12 - The shoe design process: from sketch to final product

29:48 - The time horizons for creating a shoe

37:16 - What goes in to shoe pricing?

45:38 - The trends Richard sees coming in the footwear industry

49:22 - How Richard would categorize the variety of running shoes

55:09 - The role of comfort and "feel" in shoe selection

1:03:14 - What's next for shoes?

1:06:02 - Richard's all-time favorite shoe

1:08:02 - Wrap-up

Richard Kuchinsky, a runner and running shoe designer, is the Founder and Owner of The Directive Collective- a full-service design footwear design consultancy. A 4x Boston Qualifying marathoner, Richard has an extensive experience of 20+ years in the footwear industry, and has driven the creative design and development process for global brands, focused on design DNA and strategy. The Directive Collective provides complete footwear design solutions from concept to commercialization including technical design and development and specializes in performance running and innovation. You can find Richard on Instagram, LinkedIn, and The Directive Collective website.

Be sure to check out this week's sponsor, ⁠⁠Running Warehouse⁠⁠. Rabbit’s new outdoor collection is made for the trail, by trail runners. Inspired by time spent in the mountains, rabbit’s new line has been crafted and put through the test by elite athletes on some of the hardest trails and races in the world. We’ve been huge fans of rabbit’s EZ tee shirts since we first reviewed them a few years ago. They remain some of our favorites and are still highly soft and comfortable hundreds of miles later. Our chief editor Matt Klein is also a lifelong fan of their High Country collection which blends office-ready apparel with running-quality fabric for those looking for run commute attire. You can find rabbit’s new trail line and more by visiting ⁠⁠runningwarehouse.com⁠⁠ today.

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