Footwear Insight

8 • Footwear Insight ~ September/October 2023 footwearinsight.com By Cara Griffin A fter a 44-year long career in the footwear industry, Dennis Driscoll, chief product officer for minimalist footwear brand Xero Shoes, retired in September. Over his career, Driscoll, who started in the footwear industry in 1978, played an instrumental role for several top footwear brands. He co- founded Avia, which later sold to Reebok, and held key positions throughout the years at Crocs, Doc Martens and Converse before joining Xero in 2012. During his tenure at Xero, where Driscoll was initially the brand's only designer — he saw the brand grow 58% to 48.7 million in net revenue in 2022, as the brand's minimalist footwear line expanded into more than 40 performance and casual styles of shoes, boots, and sandals, expanding beyond Xero Shoes' flagship DIY sandal kits that were featured on the TV show Shark Tank back in 2013. Before he headed out the door for retire- ment, Driscoll shared some thoughts with us about his career and the past 40-plus years in the footwear industry. Footwear Insight: What was the very first job you ever had and how did it lead you into your career in the footwear industry? Dennis Driscoll: "e first paying job I ever had was when I was 14. I had a knack for land- scaping — my mother was a master gardener — so my neighbor hired me to landscape the model homes in the housing developments he was building. ere is an element of creativity in designing custom landscaping, so getting into the product creation side of the footwear business made sense 45 years ago." Having had a front row seat to the rise and fall of "barefoot" as a "trend" – what is your take on the word barefoot when it comes to footwear? How did Xero Shoes survive that time and evolve into the brand it is today? "Personally, I never use the word 'barefoot' to describe our shoes. If you are wearing some kind footwear, you are not actually barefoot. Although you can get a close to barefoot feel with thin, flexible shoes. Natural Movement is a much better descriptor for me, as it really captures the benefits of footwear that allows the foot to orient and move more naturally. is has been Xero Shoes' message and the way we build our shoes from the beginning." What would you say are some of the best changes in the footwear industry from 40 years ago to today, and some of the worst? "I would say the evolution of materials and processes in the shoe business have improved a lot over time. Benefits like temperature control, moisture wicking, enhanced breathability of textiles and the reduction of friction on the interior of shoes are all nice advancements. More modern shoemaking in the factories has come a long way from the earlier days as well. What I'm not a fan of is how thick and stiff many sport shoes have become in the past few years. e stiffness really inhibits natural movement of the foot, and the thickness ele- vates the foot off the ground, which can make it less stable and reduces the foot's ability to read the surface it's on. Also, a lot of shoes have gotten heavier than they need to be." What are the keys to a great shoe design? "I think the keys to great shoe design are innovation, freshness and a distinct point of view. ose combined with true functional benefits are what motivates me in design. Of course, compelling aesthetics are an important aspect as well, but I have always been a func- tion first designer. If you are designing for a distinctive brand, staying true to the design language, form study and architecture of the brand are also critical." What are you most looking forward to in retirement? "e two things I'm most looking forward to in retirement are more time with my family and having more time to pursue my other creative interests." n Looking Back on 40+ Years in the Industry Q&A with Dennis Driscoll INTERVIEW Dennis Driscoll Xero's New Chief Product Officer Michael Pao is the new chief product officer at Xero Shoes, replacing Dennis Driscoll. Pao started in late July. He has previously worked in global product management and merchandising with PUMA, Crocs, Clarks, and Timberland. Pao says he was drawn to Xero in part because of the brand's commitment to "improving the health and wellbeing of each and every person through the principles of natural movement and minimal footwear." He believes that the timing is right for Xero as the mindset around health and wellness continues to shi and evolve and as style, comfort, and wellness have become "equally important" in footwear. Pao says the brand will continue to innovate into new categories, "including unexpected partnerships and collaborations that extend our message and the benefits of natural footwear to more consumers." THE FOOTWEAR EYE

• Cover