This week on Garmology, we’re rethinking everything we thought we knew about shoes.

From Nike internships and bespoke sneakers in L.A. to orthopedic labs in Canada, shoemaker Andrew Turriff has walked a long, winding path to creating Turiff Functional Footwear — a brand built on one radical idea: that shoes should actually work for your feet.

We talk about his journey from art school to Fluevog to founding his own label, his discovery that most footwear ignores how the human foot actually moves, and how he set out to make rugged, repairable shoes that let you live, move, and feel better.

This episode covers everything from the craft of shoemaking to barefoot philosophy, sustainability, and why “growth for growth’s sake” might be fashion’s biggest flaw.

It’s a thoughtful, inspiring conversation about slowing down, making things well, and walking your own path — one pair of truly functional shoes at a time.

You can find Andrew and Turriff Functional Footwear on the web at turriffshoes.com and on Instagram as @turriff_functional_footwear

This episode is also available on YouTube.

🎧 Garmology — a podcast about clothes, and the deeper stories behind them.

Garmology is by Nick Johannessen. There is no advertising or sponsorship, but you are welcome to support the podcast via my Patreon at patreon.com/garmology or you can  buymeacoffee.com/garmology

Nick Johannessen is also the editor of the WellDressedDad blog and WellDressedDad on Instagram. You can email Nick as Garmology (at) WellDressedDad.com.

Garmology theme music by Fabian Stordalen.