This is an episode of the Glossy Fashion Podcast featuring candid conversations about how today’s trends are shaping the future of the fashion industry. More from the series →
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Brandon Brubaker, co-founder of 10-year-old SoCal sneaker brand Clearweather, is somewhat of a sneaker legend. In the sneaker game for 30 years, he first designed iconic sneaker styles for Vans after being recruited by the company at age 20. He then went on to launch the multi-million dollar skate sneaker division at Nike-owned Converse.
Today, Brubaker is hitting the gas on his company’s growth, with a new round of funding, a new business partner, a relaunched website and big plans for international expansion. He is deliberately taking a unique approach to the market which, so far, has served his brand well.
“[We decided] to stop trying to fight for dollars with Nike, which completely dominates everything when it comes down to it,” he said on the latest episode of the Glossy Podcast. “Instead, we want to be a truly premium culture brand in California, and that’s where we are today.”
Also on the podcast, Brubaker discusses how the sneaker market is doing and what it takes to stay relevant in the crowded and competitive industry. Highlights from the conversation, below, have been lightly edited for clarity.
Learning (athletes) by doing
“I learned a lot about [performance features] when I was at Converse – because when we relaunched Converse skateboarding, it was like, ‘Do whatever you want.’ We didn’t have a handle on what we could do, so I pretty much took myself on a mission to build the best deck I could. And then the insole ended up being, like, $6—and you’re not going to be able to go to market with a $6 insole. This is it [comparatively] very expensive. So I had to sort it out somehow. But I learned a lot about materials and about comfort and sweat removal—I learned it all just by doing it. Everything I know about shoes is from making them and learning a lot from the factories – just being very young and going to the factories and working with the manufacturers. The wealth of knowledge I have gained is from traveling to factories all over Southeast Asia and elsewhere.”
Cultural connection as a brand advantage
“I think ours [approach to] the design is unique. of [sneaker] the landscape has changed so much. When I started, people only ran in shoes, right? And then when I was at Vans, I saw it start to change. Shoes were becoming more popular, and then – all of a sudden – there were people coming in and being hired who were car designers. And I say: ‘I don’t understand.’ They were super-technical. … I thought I would be completely taken by people who were much more educated and much more knowledgeable about computers and the whole area of tools that you need to design. But I realized that what many people lack is the connection to the culture. And I feel like that’s something you have to live to know. That’s always helped me throughout my career – just fully immersing myself in the culture around me.”
The state of the sneaker market
“I think the sneaker market is still strong. Obviously, I feel like the vibe of sneaker collecting and the sneaker scare—that kind of thing—has definitely slowed down because it got so crazy. People were buying Dunks for thousands of dollars. … For me, I wear my shoes, … and I feel like the shoes are made to be worn. … I dress based on the shoes I’m wearing. … This [type of passion for sneakers] it definitely won’t change. And I feel like it’s going to get bigger.”