Designer, Creative Director, and entrepreneur Joe Freshgoods shares exclusive details about his approach to creating sneakers and storytelling. He discusses the business side of collabs and his experiences with Adidas. Joe also talks about how he handles drops, both in person and online. The conversation provides candid insights and a deep dive into Joe's journey.
Joe Freshgoods had a negative experience with Adidas, highlighting the importance of clear intentions and communication in collaborations.
Authentic storytelling and representing personal narratives are crucial aspects of Joe Freshgoods' design process.
Joe Freshgoods has learned from challenges and criticism in managing drops, continuously seeking to improve the customer experience and staying true to his vision.
Deep dives
Dealing with Adidas and Lessons Learned
Joe Freshgoods discusses his experience working with Adidas and the lessons he learned from the partnership. He reflects on the initial excitement of signing a shoe deal without a lawyer, but eventually felt that Adidas signed him without any real intention of releasing his projects. The mishandling of his product and timeline delays led to a breakdown in the relationship. Joe also shares that Adidas later issued him a cease and desist letter for releasing a garment with three stripes on it. However, despite the challenges, he acknowledges the value of the experience and the opportunity to raise funds for his nonprofit by selling the apparel produced under the collaboration.
The Significance of Telling Stories Through Design
Joe Freshgoods discusses the importance of storytelling in his design process. He shares how his collaboration with Converse allowed him to showcase his love for t-shirts, while the 992 collaboration with New Balance served as an opportunity to share personal narratives and represent his roots. Joe reflects on his early days of making bootleg versions of Converse shoes, and how this experience inspired his initial shoe release. He emphasizes the power of authentic storytelling and connecting with his audience by bringing his own experiences and community into his collaborations.
Challenges of Managing Drops and Dealing with Feedback
Joe Freshgoods reflects on the challenges of managing high-demand drops and the pressure to provide a smooth customer experience. He shares a personal experience where a drop in the park for the 993 V3 was overwhelming due to limited infrastructure and an unexpectedly large turnout. He acknowledges the criticism he received online and how it forced him to grow in the industry. Joe also discusses how he has learned to handle negative feedback on social media and find constructive ways to address concerns. Overall, he appreciates the opportunity to learn and improve while staying true to his vision.
Growing with New Balance
The podcast episode features Joe discussing his collaboration with New Balance and the growth of their partnership. He highlights the trust and creative freedom he experienced while working with New Balance. Joe shares his excitement about the success of his first release, mentioning the city-wide impact and the support he received on social media. He also reveals his unique approach of gathering feedback from people wearing his sneakers and using it to showcase the demand to New Balance. Overall, Joe emphasizes the collaborative and mutually beneficial nature of his partnership with New Balance.
Navigating Sneaker Releases and Online Drops
The podcast delves into Joe's experiences and challenges with online sneaker releases. Joe discusses his attempts to make drops more fair for consumers and combat issues like botting. He talks about his collaboration with Instagram and the development of new features to improve fairness and access. Joe also emphasizes the importance of learning from mistakes and constantly seeking ways to improve the release process. Additionally, he reflects on the value of in-person drops and how he incorporates community engagement and charitable efforts into these events.
A conversation with designer, Creative Director, and entrepreneur Joe Freshgoods. We talk about his approach to creating sneakers and storytelling. We talk about the business side of collabs, and also detail what happened with adidas. Finally we talk about how Joe handles drops, both in person and online. It's a very candid and in depth conversation with Joe. He shares a lot of exclusive details, and doesn't generally do very many long form interviews, so check it out.
