The Directive Collective

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The Directive Collective

Unlike most footwear design consultants that only provide raw design, The Directive Collective offers integrated product and brand design services.

It’s easy to think a creative project is all about meeting design, time, budget and market needs. But there’s more. All projects play an important role in the strategic direction of a brand, company or product. Not just product design. Not just giving “creative direction” for others to do the work, but being creatively involved in all aspects of the product to focus the direction of the brand. This is The Directive Collective.

01/04/2024

🤔 What you want to know about footwear design?

👉 Design & Development?
👉 Innovation & Performance?
👉 Sketching & Visualization?
👉 Start Up How To?

One of our goals is to de-mystify the process and educate. We all win if our clients better know what we do, how we can help and what to expect.

Let us know in the comments, drop us a DM or book a free “Ask an Expert” intro session if you are qualified brand.

01/03/2024

🎯 So you want to start a footwear brand?

I love working with founder founders. If they are well prepared. Unfortunately, most aren’t.

I want start-ups to be successful. I want to take on new clients. Most of the time however, start-up founders don’t understand the process and aren’t ready with the basics needed to even have a chance at being successful.

Don’t know where to start?
Start here.

We can help. Proven experience bringing start-ups to market and small brands to the next level. Award winning strategy, branding, design, development and more.

Starting a Footwear brand is not easy. Most don’t past the planning stage. Most don’t get to market. Even if you do, it can be a long road path to commercial success.

The Directive Collective combines over 20 years of experience in the footwear industry with 15+ years of working with footwear start-ups. We specialize in helping footwear founders navigate their brand from strategy and planning through to design, development and commercialization. Past production, we support start-up brands with integrated packaging design, marketing and even social media support.

🔗 FREE Start-Up resources link in bio

12/13/2023

🌊 That sandal concept? What happens when you design a sandal prioritizing fit and function as much as style as comfort?

Inspired by technical sailing and performance regatta rigging, Proper Course & Co. sandals combined elevated functional detail and sportlifestyle aesthetic fit for the street or water.

Proper Course & Co. for founder Matt Murphy circa 2013 by

11/27/2023

📣 Last Chance. $50CAD/pair Sample Sale Clearance!

We designed these shoes for SKORA back in the day (2012-2015) and have been keeping sample stock in the Studio…. We’ve finally found the time to finally clear out the back of the archive and make space for new work so everything has to go. These are possibly the last original samples left in the world.

The Mystery Sale Confinued. 2-pairs per pack. You pick the style, we pick the colorway.

All samples brand new, original stock (including original Pittards leather and quality).

Free Shipping.
Samples all size M9.0/W7.0

🔗SHOP in bio

09/11/2023

😫 This is why AI will never design a running shoe...

AI can't experience what it feels like.

This is also why runners make the best running shoe designers.

It doesn't matter how good your sketch is, the lab test are or the specs. You'll never really know a running shoe until you run in it.

They say “never trust a skinny chef”.
Would you trust a running shoe designer that doesn’t run?

At The Directive Collective we specialize in running shoes for runners, by runners.

Is your running shoe designer a runner?

📸 5k
⏱️ 18:13 PR, 3rd AG
🏃‍♂️

09/07/2023

📣 I love talking about design. Who wants to listen?

Now booking for workshops, presentations and guided team demos.

As a professional designer with more than 20 years experience, education and sharing knowledge always been a passion. I've taught design to grade 4 kids, led corporate keynotes and created entire week-long innovation courses.

Have a corporate design team in need of inspiration, insight or innovation training? I can help.

Want to improve your designers' sketching, visual communication or concept development skills? I can help.

Working with your design leadership, I offer custom content from one-on-one trend analysis to multi-day team concept design sprints.

Interested? Let's chat.
🔗 in bio

08/29/2023

💔 What’s a bad design client?
One who doesn’t care.

Passion. There is no substitute for passion.

At The Directive CollectiveI, want a client that has a vision. I want a client that knows what they want, is aware of the challenges to achieve it, but is focused on doing what’s necessary to get there.

Passion is what makes a client ask more questions in reply to my questions. Passion is what makes a client want to make something better, not just cheaper or faster.

In my experience, passion is more predictive than money, experience, connections, or even a good starting idea, because together with my own passion and experience I’m always confident that passion can leveraged to get money, experience, connections….

There are lots of bad client behaviors, but if a client doesn't seem to *care*, it's the biggest red flag of all.

08/28/2023

🤝 What is a Good client?
One who respects the designer.

As a client, you don’t learn anything if your consultant is always telling you “yes”.

The most value you can get is when I tell you “No, but..…” and we problem solve together to find a solution. Some of my favorite clients were those that I often disagreed with. I had weekly calls with a long time retainer client for 5+ years where almost every call would turn into a heated argument. That’s fine. As long there is mutual respect, disagreement is OK to be part of the process.

Not only do I want a client that respects design, I’m also looking for a client that respect me.

This doesn’t mean they have to always agree with me.

As a professionaI I always tell clients that more than anything, my experience and opinion is what they are paying for. If they just want someone to do exactly what they want, or to agree with them no matter what, you don’t want me, and I’m pretty sure won’t pay for me. If you already have all the ideas why are you hiring a professional?

08/21/2023

😍 What is a good client?
One who loves design.

For me, a client who has a similar and complimentary view on the value of design is the number one thing I look for.

I don’t expect the client to be an expert in design (that’s why they hire me), but they should respect design. The should want good design and want to learn about design. A client should have an opinion about design. Respecting design and the design process means leaving time for it. Being willing to pay for it. Sure, design is a means to an end, but if there’s no time or money for the means, you aren’t going to get a very good end, right?

You don’t need a huge budget or giant corporation’s resources to achieve good design. You just have to prioritize it. I often find chatting for 2 hours about their favorite cars, a cool interior I saw on Instagram, or the little details on the inside of a shoe I just designed is just as useful and productive as a 5 page Design Brief and Scope of Work Document.

If we both love design, my work is easier and the results will be better.

07/12/2023

✍🏻 The original "3D" prototyping.

I love a good last tape up.

Nothing is quicker, more accurate, and more useful for development and production.

No goggles or software required.

----
Need footwear design?

Now booking 1:1 Project Review Sessions for brands and well-qualified start-ups seeking footwear design services by The Directive Collective

We’ll review where you are at, where you want to go, and how we can help bring your vision to market.

🔗 in bio

Hit the "Ask An Expert" button.
Limited sessions available.

07/06/2023

❌ Good Design Won’t Solve All Yoir Problems…

As designers, we often get stuck in the trap of thinking that Design (capital "D") can solve every problem and "Good Design" is the secret to product, brand and financial success. Make it attractive, make it work, make it right for your target market and you will win.

The truth is more complicated....

Design can’t fix everything.
While it’s tempting to sell Design to a client or management as a solution for everything that is broken (sales, margins, brand position, etc.), the reality is that if the product or brand isn’t working and you only change Design, you are set up to fail.

🩹 Good Design isn’t a bandaid- it must be well integrated if it has a chance to help.

📄 Full Article online

06/29/2023

The Global Footwear Awards, GFA is thrilled to unveil the distinguished jury members who will be presiding over its highly anticipated fourth edition.

Calling all designers from around the world to submit their most remarkable work, embracing the opportunity to be recognized alongside industry luminaries. With an illustrious jury panel, the fourth edition of the GFA promises to set new benchmarks for creativity and innovation in footwear design.

BIG THANKS TO OUR JUDGES: Felipe Fiallo, Sissi Johnson, Professor x Marketing Exec., Robbie Fuller, Richard Kuchinsky, The Directive Collective Sean Williams, Ann Williams, Jazerai Allen-Lord, James Lee Thompson, Oronzon De matteis , Chen Wang, Mary Norton, Monica Mei, Anna Maria Giano, Marta Andreassi, Mathew Kurien, Brock Cardiner, , Matteo Fermani, Fionn Corcoran-Tadd, The Shoe Girls, Eelko Moorer, Robert Quach, Timon Kuhlenkamp, Max Gruettner, Andrew Yip, Sara Paiva, Thomas Le, Daniel Cocking, Yael Joyce Vantu, Arshiyak Kapoor

Early Bird Deadline ending in 3 DAYS! – June 30, 2023!

Read more: https://www.globalfootwearawards.com/global-footwear-awards-unveils-visionary-jury-for-fourth-edition/

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Toronto, ON

Website

http://www.directivecollective.com/

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