The SoleSavy Podcast

Elliott Hill, the new CEO of Nike with deep roots in the sneaker industry, discusses the recent leadership shakeup following John Donahoe's departure. He reflects on Donahoe's struggles due to a lack of industry experience and his controversial direct-to-consumer approach. Hill explores the impact of COVID-19 on Nike's culture and market perception, revealing how internal restructuring could drive creativity. He also addresses Nike's strategic focus on retro releases and cultural relevance, aiming to navigate tough times and enhance innovation.

1:20 How has the Sneaker Law Volume 2 Book Launch been?4:40 How did the first book impact your lives and careers?5:48 How did that impact the second book?7:28 What were some of the hardest chapters to cover?9:59 What was the most surprising thing you learned?16:35 What was the inspiration behind the book theme?24:24 Why did you include the NY Sole Savy Jordan 1 drop in the book?25:12 What do you guys have for shoe of the year?

In this episode, we look at the Kendrick Lamar x Super Bowl LIX news from a sneaker industry perspective. We recap the recent history of sneaker moments at the Super Bowl and speculate what Kendrick's may look like. We discuss Kendrick Lamar's sneaker history and recent love for Nikes. Later, we look at how Drake's longtime deal with Nike could impact what Kendrick wears during the Super Bowl. 

In this episode, we discuss how and why Cooper Flagg chose to sign with New Balance over Nike. We talk about his history playing for Nike teams and how Duke has historically been a pipeline for future Nike signature athletes. We touch on the decline in signature sneaker sales and why brands stopped investing millions in rookies. We break down the impact NIL is having on the footwear industry and why Flagg won't be able to play in NB at Duke.    0:48 Who is Cooper Flag?7:01 NIL and how it's changed sneaker brands9:59 New Balance needs Cooper Flag14:14 American Born Star16:12 Why didn't Nike sign him? 

In this episode, we are joined by Ewing Athletics designer Jonas Guerrero to talk about his work with the brand. We discuss Ewing's legacy as the first athlete-owned footwear brand, Patrick's involvement, and the all-new SL33 silhouette. Jonas shares his journey in the footwear industry, his NYC upbringing, and how Virgil Abloh inspires him as a creative. We also break down the latest collaboration with reggaeton icon Yandel and how Latino culture influences Jonas' work and the Ewing brand.

0:41 Initial Reaction to the While You Were Sleeping Collection4:04 How did A Ma Maniere get here? A rundown of all of their Nike and Jordan collabs.14:03 Looking at the While You Were Sleeping Collection

0:50 Reactions to the news2:12 What details do we know right now?5:05 Looking back at the 2018 Union x Jordan release21:27 What does this mean for Jordan Brand's 2025 release year?27:43 What kind of conversations will we be having about Jordan Brand a year from now?

1:14 Initial Reactions3:53 What are your memories of this release?11:51 What was the sneaker landscape like back then?20:44 Follow-up Colorways29:50 Is this the best non-OG Jordan 1 colorway?

1:51 '92 Olympics14:07 '96 Olympics20:24 '00 Olympics27:05 '04 Olympics31:13 '08 Olympics37:00 '12 Olympics42:23 '20 Olympics46:35 What can we expect from the '24 Olympics

1:47 Does this lawsuit come as a surprise?7:28 What took Nike so long to file this lawsuit?15:22 What does Nike want from the lawsuit?