Footwear Design
Global footwear brands have discovered the value of design collaboration with external creative resources. Celebrity designers, athletes and famous society trendsetters have all left a mark on footwear design and fashion.
A broader opportunity to use outside design support is often missed, however. The “not invented here” syndrome can block valuable outside contributions in day-to-day design activities.
Proprietary design teams resist outside contribution from general fashion designers without footwear expertise. Fashion and industrial design professionals regularly generate unrealistic or unfeasible products. Lacking full immersion in brand messages and brand DNA, these designers are often ill-equipped to integrate critical brand identity components into product design.
Ideally, an outside design partner will have a complete grasp of footwear technology and manufacturing methods along with a mastery of branding mechanisms. These partners will function effectively with existing teams as a seamless design “snap-in,” generating design excitement and catalyzing internal innovation and creativity.
Footwear sourcing agents with advanced design capability are an excellent external product development resource. Having a strategic, capable partner to design and create shoe prototypes has become a large part of outsourcing as a means to gain a competitive edge in the industry.
Here’s why:
You’re Provided With A Simplified Filtration Of Design Ideas
The right footwear sourcing partner is focused on collaborative efficiency. To get to the best shoe prototype, it’s often necessary to cast the net wide in terms of design drawings and then intensively cut down.
It’s a means to stoke innovation and ensure there’s a thorough revision process and definitive understanding of the design elements. Through an iterative process, you get to determine several prototypes that reflect your quality standards and budget.
You Gain An Alternative Viewpoint Based On Extensive Expertise
Creative people know that it’s critical to step outside of your own internal processes and gain an outsider’s point of view. The right footwear sourcing partner understands the global marketplace from the perspective of consumer demand and manufacturing challenges.
Look for a footwear sourcing partner that knows exactly how to collaborate with your in-house design team. Your partner should provide a level of industry expertise gained through working with so many other brands, while also understanding how to approach your own unique brand DNA.
Fast Turnaround To Increase Your Merchandising Opportunities
Large wholesaler accounts can make or break your season, but that also means they have enough power to request to see a new set of designs immediately. The first to the finish line often wins the order. Partners with agile, high-speed sample-making capacity are indispensible in this competitive environment.
The right footwear sourcing partner delivers highly functional prototypes under accelerated timeframes, enabling you to respond to market opportunities ahead of the competition.
The End-Game Benefit Of Outsourcing Footwear Design
Embracing external design resources is more than buying footwear design storyboards and CAD drawings. It is a critical strategy that enhances product development, branding and merchandising outcomes. Use collaborative co-creation, accelerated iterations, prototypes and sample-making to build competitive advantages in product assortment, pricing and manufacturing executions.
Ready to find the right footwear sourcing partner?
