Recently in GSA Talks To... Category
GetSkinnedAlive: It's great to meet you, Justin...I don't think I've ever met a fifth-generation shoe bizzer before.
Justin Sigal: Good to meet you too. Yep, it's the family business. Littles has been in our family for 23 years , but it's 100 years old. I've been there five years, and proud to be a part of the legacy.
GSA: That's a lot of math.
JS: (laughs) It is. Fortunately, math isn't as critical to my side of the business as product.
GSA: Moving on to product - the new Skins product is supposedly much-improved from its soft launch. What's your take?
JS: First of all, the new Bone feels great, it's an amazing level of comfort. Stylewise, each collection is a huge improvement on the previous line. Designwise, they've also made huge strides. From a sales point of view, we're really excited about the new presentation and packaging.
GSA: Apparently, the company got a lot of important feedback on the original packaging.
JS: Littles is a full-service store, our salespeople are very informed and interactive. With this packaging, one shoe comes pre-prepared, and the other Bone is right there to be fitted for size. It's a clean, appealing presentation, and easy for salespeople to work with. Our team has always loved the Skins concept and has been excited to talk with customers about it - now, in addition, it is as easy to fit as any other shoe.
GSA: There was a lot of anticipation surrounding the soft launch, is the industry - and the consumer - as excited about Skins' new launch?
JS: We got behind the Skins technology very early on. The product was so innovative; actually, this may sound bold, but Skins Footwear is the first technical innovation we've really seen in our business since rubber soles.
GSA: That does sound bold. But I don't know that I can think of anything to disprove your statement.
JS: Think about it. Reebok Pumps, maybe Nike Air, those were developments but not true technical innovations. This is really a lifestyle change, it changes how people travel, it's pretty radical.
GSA: You have a pretty broad consumer base, mens, womens, kids. How does Skins fit into your demo?
JS: I like to say we have as many styles as you can fit into 20,000 square feet. To be honest, we understood with the soft launch that we weren't getting the number of styles we wanted, and we had to be patient.
GSA: Hopefully the new line is worth the wait.
JS: Look around you. I can say I'm glad we were patient and supportive. Having seen and worn this stuff, I can tell you that this is what we had in mind when Dennis and Mark first pitched us on the idea of Skins Footwear.
Always in search of new anagrams to conquer, GSA spent several days - and nights - in Las Vegas last month, attending WSA, the definitive footwear expo. In addition to getting a sneak peak at some spring and fall styles, including the long-awaited next-gen offering from Skins Footwear (it rocks, but you'll see for yourself in mid-April), we got to hang with esteemed designer Frank Zambrelli of Banfi-Zambrelli. The firm is behind the Skins Footwear collections, and while pounding bottled water to rejuvenate after a night of...let's just say gambling, we asked Frank some questions:
GetSkinnedAlive: You're a popular attraction here, and my head is killing me, so I won't take up too much of your time...
Frank Zambrelli: So we work and you play, is that how it works?
GSA: Something like that. Although I think we work and play. But it's hard to do both. Looking around your exhibitor suite, it's easy to see why Skins Footwear would want you designing their collections...
FZ: Thanks.
GSA: When did (Skins Footwear President & CEO) Mark Klein first reach out to you?
FZ: It was about 2 years ago. We were immediately intrigued, because our specialty is designing and developing luxury projects and Skins is much more than that, it's a technology, an innovation. The Bone was light years from its inception but still had a long way to go. Studio Dror had done some really nice work and our assignment was to design around the technology, and create a design structure for the line. We were also involved in the design and campaign aesthetic from a marketing perspective. It was an exciting challenge.
GSA: Was it hard doing a soft launch? There was so much anticipation for the first collection and then the product went back into development...
FZ: As designers, we're always working on the next line even before the first one comes out, and the first line sold well, but we also were prepared for the feedback and next iteration of development. Moving forward is what it's all about - increasing the number of styles, having the identity of the shoe evolve.
GSA: What are some of your personal favorites from the new collection?
FZ: For men, I love the Damian. This sport Skin goes right to the summit of the concept of Skin and Bones. Incredibly lightweight, this is a shoe with a "wrap" sheet... outsole. Bad puns aside, the sole has the slimness of a sneaker made for the track or tae kwon do, but with tremendous abrasion resistance, and all the support of the Bone inside. The Skin itself is a retro running style, with some revised pattern work that makes it feel new, but comfortably familiar. One of my favorites this season, though I'm probably gonna wear it with a suit.
GSA: And we'll likely follow you down that road... How about for women?
FZ: In the Skins style continuum of Sport to Dress, Joni sits smack dab in the gorgeous center. Perfectly casual, this hybrid of a wallaby and a desert boot is cut a little higher than your average shoe, without becoming a bootie. It's especially flattering at a time when most women's casual shoes forget that you're a woman (my apologies if you're in fact, not a woman. Too bad for you). The suedes are pumiced, so the surface of the Skin is remarkably rich looking, and soft. This is the everywhere (or maybe "everywear") shoe.
GSA: There's a lot of buzz at the show, not just about the new line, but about the applications of the Skins technology. As a designer, what's your take on that?
FZ: I look at it this way: this technology can be applied to anything that can be wrapped or clad, and anywhere there is an interaction between that product and a human being. Take furniture, for example. The marriage of design, structure, technology and flexibility lends itself to a couch or a chair that is about comfort and fashion working hand in hand.
GSA: Sounds like the whole process working with Skins is atypical for a footwear line?
FZ: Yes, it's completely atypical. I never had the expectation of this process being "normal", because there is no precedent for something like Skins. This is more engaging than anything we've done before. If you think about it, the shoe industry is pretty archaic, shoes have been made the same way for a long, long time. Until now.
The feeling we all have is that the technology has arrived, so for us as the designers, and for the customers, who in the case of Skins are sharp, bold, and on the edge of fashion and design, the pathway is open...we can all let our imaginations run wild.
GetSkinnedAlive: Naturally, we've got a lot of questions for you, but first, this guacamole is amazing, how did you find this place?
Mark Klein: (laughs) I've been running around a lot the last few years, from country to country and I'm always grabbing stuff on the go. When I find really good Mexican food, I remember it.
GSA: Should we tell the readers what country we're in now?
MK: Let's leave it a mystery.
GSA: Speaking of mystery, what's up with Skins? You've kinda kept quiet for the last month or so.
MK: For one, based on feedback we received from a very successful consumer partnership program and a self- limited soft-launch, and the retail summits that we held, we were able to make substantial improvements to the Skin and Bone. We've changed how the product is packaged, sold, displayed...we radically enhanced the fit of the Bone, all based on feedback from customers and retailers.
GSA: By "self-limited", you mean -
MK: When I say it was self-limited what I'm referring to is the fact that we purposely launched in only 20 locations, even though the initial interest in Skins, the excitement, industry awards, and press were really unheard of for a new shoe. We chose outlets in places from Los Angeles, CA to Richmond, VA, and Pittsburgh... we wanted to get the widest feedback possible, and we did. And through the consumer partnership program, our early adopters, people who came out and bought that first gen product, knew up front that there would be a next gen Bone and that they would get it for free.
GSA: Can you tell us about some of the specific improvements?
MK: Since this is a compartmental technology, customers and salespeople were a little daunted by a shoe that comes in pieces. We now sell Skins in a Combo Box, in which one of the shoes is already put together - the Skin, Bone, and insole; the salesperson can build the other shoe in front of you - it was really important to our customers to have this feature, and we responded.
We've also joined forces with a leading authority on footwear fitting and technology, so we've got a large group of esteemed scientists coming to us to talk about these issues.
We've designed a broad range of new styles for men and women, and have put the new shoes through countless steps in extreme temperatures...we've put our product through that kind of rigorous testing to get to where we are now.
GSA: And where are you now, in terms of launching the next gen?
MK: We're in the middle of production, looking at a launch the first week of March. We're gonna launch in stores countrywide this time, hitting all major markets, many times what we did with our soft launch.
GSA: There's been a lot of chatter out there, good and bad, some of it directed very personally at you, some of it not so nice. How do you deal with that kind of stuff?
MK: To make this product the best it can be, we ran the risk of seeing some negative chatter, some reaction to a lack of availability. But the major concern we will always have is that we're giving the consumer and our retail partners the best product we possibly can. So the risk was acceptable.
This technology has huge long-term potential in terms of applications; when we say something is "Powered by Skins," that reflects our hope that in time you'll be seeing this technology applied in different market segments, to future collaborations with other brands, etc.
If you follow the biz-oriented blogs, you also have to factor in that a lot of the negative messages and criticism come from people playing a short-term game. It's not the game we play as a company or that I play personally.
On a personal level, I gotta tell you, Mark Klein is the single largest shareholder of this company and I have never sold one of my shares, not one. If there's any single pursuit in my life it's the quality and integrity of Skins Footwear - and whatever that means in terms of potshots at me, who cares? The big picture is honoring that commitment, and whenever you're doing something disruptive and revolutionary, you're putting your ass on the line - and at some point, the commitment becomes bigger than your ass. Did that come out right?
GSA: I think so. A while back, we wrote about a video contest you were collaborating on with our buddies at SLAM; our post generated some real excitement, and we hear this is turning into a bigger thing than expected. What's the scoop?
MK: We'll be rolling out more info on the contest very soon. Naturally, the last month or so, we've been focused on the next generation Skin and Bone. Now, we're ready to solicit submissions for the contest. By the way, for Skins this contest is a big deal - we're a young company, we're very into arts and education and supporting voices of originality. You saw that with our event at the MOCA in LA, supporting their Architecture and Design exhibit, and you're about to see it with some new film and video pieces we've done. That's why we're looking for 'inspired' submissions and not 'branded' ones. We're really hoping to get some interesting and adventurous films from this effort.
Our non-traditional marketing efforts are really about message - our audience is creative and discriminating, and - most importantly - once they get their bone on, as I like to say, they're part of the family. And we treat them as such.
On a cool winter evening in LA (read: long-sleeve tee weather), GSA sat down with blogger MondoMouth, and - over lunch and a few premium beers - got some insight into what makes this smooth-talker tick.
GSA: Mondo, first of all, we know you're a busy blogger, so thanks for doing this interview.
MondoMouth: Well, you are springing for lunch at Sizzler so I'll try to give you your $11.95 worth.
GSA: Since you traveled into the Skins Footwear and SLAM orbit this summer, you've written and directed specs spots, inspired a short film contest that's about to launch worldwide, and invaded Latin America. What are you up to now? And what's up with your blog charting so well overseas?
MM: Right now, I'm having conversations about directing a commercial in Chile, shooting a recruiting video for the City of Los Angeles, and developing a music-based idea I had into a reality television show.
GSA: Speaking of being in touch with humanity, one of the reasons we root for the Skins Footwear crew is that they tell it like it is and they're willing to take chances. Do you consider yourself a risk-taker?
MM: Absolutely. I have the bumps and bruises to prove it. I don't buy into that nonsense about the meek inheriting the earth. You've gotta take risks or else be prepared to be a doormat. Personally, the prospect of somebody wiping their muddy boots all over me is not appealing at all. Anything worth doing requires risk, which is why I respect the hell out of Skins for challenging the shoe industry with a revolutionary footwear design - and taking their bumps and bruises with grace.
GSA: In your postings, you talk a lot about subjects ranging from everyday life (see Mondo's postings on plumbing...) to the not-always-so-glam world of major motion picture production...but can you tell us a little about yourself?
MM: I didn't go to film school. I went to work. It just so happens I went to work in the film business. I've been fortunate in that I've crewed on multi-million dollar productions, some great feature films: Bad Boys, Apollo 13, Jade, Armageddon, Crimson Tide, World Trade Center, Lions for Lambs... and television shows like "90210, Melrose Place, 7th Heaven and Everybody Hates Chris. It's impossible not to learn, especially when its Ron Howard, Oliver Stone, Michael Bay, Tony Scott, William Friedken or Robert Redford directing.
GSA: Now that you're a Skins insider, have you had a chance to preview the Spring/Summer 08 line?
MM: Yes! I was blown away by the fashion. It radiates colors, comfort and style. I don't want to sound like Larry King when he reviews movies - "Spectacular!" - I mean, he knows squat about movies, I know roughly the same about shoes... but I think people are gonna dig it. Between the styles and what seem like great strides with the design, I'm feeling safe saying "It's a must have for fashionistas and folks everywhere!" And note that this was an unpaid endorsement. And that it doesn't have to be that way...
GSA: You're getting free food and beer! Hey, can we get a sneak peek at your latest opus, or at least get a hint as to what it's about?
MM: I'm actually co-writing an indie movie, Band on the Run, to be shot next year in the United Kingdom. No, it's not an English costume drama, but there are plenty of British babes in it. Band is the compelling story, inspired by actual events of the late fifties, of a fugitive rock-n-roll singer on the lam from the law and the monarchy. Let's just say the Queen will not be amused when this comes out.
