words & interview // Gregory Williams:
The new kid on the block, People Footwear has officially made its North American debut. Introducing itself to the stateside masses in grand fashion, People Footwear launched its Spring/Summer collection exclusively at world renown NY-based retailer KITH. Coming on the heels of officially making its presence felt in the US market, we caught up with the man behind this innovative new footwear line, Damian Van Zyll De Jong, to talk about the inspiration behind the shoes, the technology and what’s next for the brand. Check out the entire interview after the jump, along with a look at People Footwear‘s entire Spring/Summer Collection, and be sure to keep your browsers locked to Nice Kicks for more.
Nice Kicks: What was the inspiration behind People Footwear?
Damian Van Zyll De Jong: Really it was to do something I loved – shoes, travelling the world and working with like-minded people. It was through these ideas that I came up with the name People Footwear. With this brand it isn’t just about selling shoes but also about the amazing humans around us that inspire and motivate creativity within our global community.
Nice Kicks: What can people expect from the DreamKnit collection?
Damian Van Zyll De Jong: The Phillips Knit and Stanley Knit feature our DreamKnit uppers which utilize digital knitting, only seen in high-tech running shoes. The uppers are ultra-breathable and our SuperCush sock liners make the shoes really comfortable – they are the perfect summer shoe! They epitomize our product philosophy which is high performance leisure. We are focused on using tech forward materials and construction methods but keeping the styling classic and casual. We’re stoked to grow the DreamKnit collection with more weaving techniques, colours, and new silhouettes. We’re still learning, along with the industry, what is possible with this technology.
Nice Kicks: How did the partnership with KITH come about?
Damian Van Zyll De Jong: Kith has always been a great supporter of us and their team is really tight with our sales agency The Foundation. Our DreamKnit Phillips and Stanley are a great compliment to the styles that they already carry. Being one of the only brands using this new construction method for casual shoes makes us unique and I think this resonates with their clientele. We have an exclusive colorway for both the Stanley Knit and Phillips Knit coming out this May with Kith.
Nice Kicks: Now that you guys have made your North American debut, what’s next for People Footwear?
Damian Van Zyll De Jong: We’ve only just gotten started and are super excited to see how the market reacts to the brand. We all have our heads down working hard and constantly looking at shoes! There are some really exciting new styles coming out for future seasons that I can’t wait to release. It’s all about product and making sure our retailers are happy.
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