Leading up to International Women’s Day, we spoke with some of the most influential women at Sperry: product designers. Responsible for the shoes you know and love, these ladies strive to #MakeWaves every single day.

 

KRISTIN

Sustainability champion and fellow foodie coming from a long line of creativity.

 

If you could have coffee with one woman, dead or alive, who would it be and why?

Alive:  I’d love to share a laugh and foodie experience with Drew Barrymore.  She’s so optimistic and passionately lives life to the fullest. She celebrates being goofy, and I appreciate that she accepts people as they truly are.

Passed on: Golden Era Costume Designer, Edith Head. She was a female trailblazer that offered the world impeccable style and inspired fashion trends for generations. She was/is an icon in her field.

 

How did you get into product design?

I grew up in a creative home.  My father is one of the original graphic Madmen of advertising and spent most of his career in corporate identity and logotype design.  He was also the face on the Tasters Choice coffee jar for over 30 years.  My mother taught Art History throughout my school years and always encouraged me to create.  In college, I studied Fashion Design and got my first taste of shoe design during one of my internships.

 

What does designing shoes for women mean to you?

It’s an honor to design products for women.  As a female consumer, I try to reflect on my own experiences and decisions when designing. Each season, we keep a balance of functional needs and style/trend desire at the forefront of every product.

 

Is there a special project you are most proud of?

Being a champion for Sperry product sustainability, since 2015, I started playing with natural hemp uppers, burlap or cork-infused rubber, and simplifying the boat shoe construction as much as possible. From there, I explored recycled yarns, pineapple leather, and reground leather. And in 2019, Sperry celebrated a win at the Accessories Council ACE awards for sustainability with the rPET Bionic collection I had the privilege to design.

Now the full team strives to infuse more educated and more sustainable choices into all parts of our shoes and into an even broader application across our collections.

 

What are your favorite Sperrys and how do you wear them?  

My favorite Sperrys include the Crest CVO Deck Sneaker and Crest Twin Gore Sneaker. I have both in multiple colors/materials, and I can easily accessorize with jeans, pants, dresses, and skirts for a relaxed, dress-casual look.

RORY

New mom drawing her fashion inspiration from Hooper in Jaws and her innovative spirit from Carol Burnett.

 

Who is your biggest inspiration? 

My mom! She’s always shown me how to be strong, empathetic, and kind. She’s supportive of all my various endeavors and really helped cultivate my creativity. I hope to be even half the mom and role model to my 10-month-old daughter that she was for me.

 

If you could have coffee with one woman, dead or alive, who would it be and why? 

Carol Burnett! She is hilarious, smart, and a groundbreaker in her field. Plus, she probably has so many good stories to tell! (CALL ME CAROL!)

 

What does designing shoes for women mean to you?  

I strive to design something that women feel comfortable and confident in. Something that will last in your wardrobe for seasons to come. Something that makes you happy when you see it.

 

Is there a special project you are most proud of? 

I really love the Torrent Chelsea Boot construction. I love how much the consumers love it too. It’s versatile, functional, and very cute. And we have some really exciting stuff coming down the line for it!

 

What are your favorite Sperrys and how do you wear them? 

My favorites are the Cloud CVO Deck Sneakers. I wear them with everything from sundresses to cropped denim pants. Plus, have you seen Richard Dreyfuss’s wardrobe in Jaws? It’s Iconic.

ERIN

Stella McCartney groupie and graphic design graduate who traded in her pencil for a stylus.

 

Who is your biggest inspiration?

My biggest inspiration is Stella McCartney. It’s important to have talent but also vision and values. She’s a risk-taker and a pioneer in the fashion industry that pushes style and sustainability to the next level. I can only aspire to be as big a risk-taker as she is.

 

How did you get into product design?

One of my first roles out of college was in marketing at a shoe company. At the time, the product design team was doing all their sketching by hand. Being a graphic design graduate, I was able to help the team transition to computer design. And after that, I was hooked.

 

What does designing shoes for women mean to you?

I have such a passion for women’s products, because I know what I look for in a product, and I try to leverage that in my designs. I want to design something with style, function, and sustainability. I want women to be proud to wear my designs.

 

What are your favorite Sperrys and how do you wear them?

I absolutely love my Crest Twin Gore Platform Slip-Ons. They’re a perfect addition to my wardrobe because of how versatile they are and how easy they are to get on/off…as I’m often running out the door. I love wearing them with a cute pair of jeans, joggers, or shorts.