Kelly has been busy as a busy bee can be launching Gravis’ latest push into skate shoes, the IVSK8 line, but took some time from his Italian vacation to talk about sneaker design. Unfortunately he couldn’t be bothered to send a photo, so you’ll just have to pretend you’re reading a novel that hasn’t yet been made into a movie.

How’d you get such a great gig?
Before joining Gravis in ’07, I was the Design Director at Podium Distribution, home of DVS and Lakai. I started working there back in ’97, but I moved to Oregon to work for adidas for a bit then came back to DVS around ’01. [With Gravis] it’s still hard to believe, but I actually applied for the job online. They didn’t have a position open at the time but in the end it all worked out…I guess they liked what they saw.

What was the hardest part of developing a new line? Was there total freedom, or what were the constraints?
I’m given a fair amount of freedom to come up with designs, but it’s interesting, sometimes that actually makes my job harder. I can design for days if I’m given the opportunity. But when you’re working on a pro shoe, you know there’s going to be specific wants and needs pertaining to shape, fit, comfort, materials, etc. It’s that type of input that helps me when starting a new project. But what really makes it tough is not getting the results you expect during the sampling process. Taking one step forward and two steps back drives me crazy.

The silhouettes of shoes have slimmed down a lot in the past few years, and the market for retro shit just seems to grow. Do you think that’s just nostalgia, or was design better before?
I don’t think shoes were necessarily designed better back then. I think those shoes were designed for specific purposes—especially athletic shoes. Silhouettes, panel shapes, padding, sole designs—they all had a reason for being there. Today you have the elements of fashion that have a bigger influence in the overall design.

For me it’s interesting. I’m down for retros and reissues but at the same time I can appreciate today’s influence of fashion and technology in footwear. I’d have to say that some shoes are a bit over the top, but I don’t mind wearing some teched-out trainers or b-ball shoes. I guess it’s the influence I have from my time in Oregon. But don’t get me wrong—the shoes still have to look good.

What direction do you see shoes going from here?
It’s hard to say, but knowing the current state of our economy and the big push to go green, I’d say footwear brands will put a good amount of their efforts towards affordability and sustainability. As for design, let’s just wait and see.

What are the companies you’d like to emulate or equal? Do any other brands impress you right now?
I like brands like Know1edge and In4mation. I like what they stand for and I have a lot of respect for them. I really like what Clae is doing; Visvim holds it down as well.