The Creative Genius of Sneaker Design | Salehe Bembury and Cloe Shasha Brooks | TED

Overview

Salehe Bembury, a trailblazing footwear designer, shares his creative journey, from reimagining iconic brands like Crocs and New Balance to crafting sneakers that tell stories. Through his innovative approach to design, he blends functionality, storytelling, and personal identity, creating products that resonate deeply with consumers.

Notable Quotes

- Genius can be created in seconds, and crap can be created over months. – Salehe Bembury, on the importance of avoiding distractions in creative work.

- The consumer doesn't know what they want until you show it to them. – Salehe Bembury, reflecting on the transformative power of innovative design.

- I went outside and did my pursuit of happiness — cry in the streets — because my life changed instantly. – Salehe Bembury, on landing his dream job with Versace.

🎨 The Art of Reimagining Footwear

- Salehe’s collaboration with Crocs led to the Pollex clog, a design based on his fingerprint mold. Unlike previous collaborations that merely altered aesthetics, he redefined the form while respecting Crocs' DNA.

- His New Balance 574 Yurt shoe features a functional whistle on the heel, inspired by the underutilized real estate of footwear design. This playful yet practical addition exemplifies his industrial design background.

- Salehe’s designs often incorporate storytelling, such as the Peace Be the Journey shoe inspired by Arizona's Antelope Canyon, where colors and textures reflect the natural landscape.

🚀 From Unemployment to Versace

- During a period of unemployment, Salehe cold-pitched a sneaker program idea to Versace via LinkedIn. Donatella Versace personally invited him to Milan, where he presented his vision and secured a role on his terms.

- This pivotal moment highlights the power of bold outreach and the importance of articulating unique value in creative industries.

🌈 Storytelling Through Design

- Salehe’s work is deeply rooted in storytelling, with each shoe reflecting personal experiences or cultural narratives. For example:

- The Sand Be the Time New Balance project was inspired by Utah’s pink sand dunes, with colors and materials mirroring the landscape.

- A collaboration with Pyer Moss resulted in a shoe symbolizing financial struggle, using silicone to evoke the feeling of being stuck.

- His designs often include Easter eggs and nuanced details, creating a sense of discovery and connection for consumers.

📦 Beyond the Shoe: Packaging and Presentation

- Salehe emphasizes the importance of the reveal moment in product design, extending his creativity to shoe boxes that are as thoughtfully designed as the footwear itself.

- He believes in maximizing every aspect of a product’s real estate to evoke emotion and create a lasting impression, likening this approach to Steve Jobs’ philosophy of showing consumers what they didn’t know they wanted.

🧒 Staying True to Childhood Creativity

- Salehe draws inspiration from his nine-year-old self, who once sculpted an Air Jordan 11 out of clay. He strives to maintain the unfiltered creativity of childhood, balancing it with the constraints of the industry.

- He credits his success to avoiding distractions like social media, which can cloud original ideas, and focusing on creating designs that evoke emotion and community.