D’Wayne Edwards | CounterKicks

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PENSOLE Day 13: It Doesn’t End Here (By Brent James)

Category : CounterKicks, Jordan Brand, Nike

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Our exclusive two-week look at the inaugural PENSOLE Footwear Design Program held at the University of Oregon ends here on Day 13. But the journey for the 2010 PENSOLE class is just beginning. Today is final presentations for the assigned projects the students have worked on and the framework for the next generation of footwear designers has been laid out. Jordan Brand Vice President Howard “H” White energizes the class with three keys to success. D’Wayne Edwards demonstrates the power of mentorship through four women. And Brent James and the rest of the PENSOLE students realize it doesn’t end here. Continue reading PENSOLE Day 13: It Doesn’t End Here (By Brent James)…

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PENSOLE Day 12: Taking It All In (By Brent James)

Category : CounterKicks, Jordan Brand, Nike

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Day 12 at PENSOLE brings with it a pair of familiar final guest speakers: Cubby Golden, Nike Running Designer, and Jason Mayden, Jordan Brand Senior Designer. Cubby stresses the importance of mentorship and continual growth. Jason follows up with a serious talk on being an expert in your subject and how to ultimately pitch your design process and story to a company and the consumer at large. Take it all in as the PENSOLE footwear design school at the University of Oregon winds down to its final day. Continue reading PENSOLE Day 12: Taking It All In (By Brent James)…

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PENSOLE Day 11: The Final Push (By Brent James)

Category : CounterKicks, Jordan Brand, Nike

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Day 11 follows Brent James and the PENSOLE footwear design students down the final stretch of their class assigned projects. The vibe has shifted and everyone is in laser-like focus wrapping up their footwear designs for the coming day of presentations. Brent gives us the latest look at his IKEA shoe design and finds a little bit of inspiration from a Swedish lake in the process. Continue reading PENSOLE Day 11: The Final Push (By Brent James)…

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PENSOLE Day 10: Life In Technicolor (By Brent James)

Category : CounterKicks, Jordan Brand, Nike

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Day 10 at PENSOLE brings out the color in everyone with a study in trend forecasting and the emotional importance of color to any given project. Gum is chewed, flavors are developed, and goofiness reigns supreme over part of the class day as the PENSOLE students begin tightening up their assigned projects for some last minute reviews by instructor D’Wayne Edwards. Continue reading PENSOLE Day 10: Life In Technicolor (By Brent James)…

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PENSOLE Day 6: Design Explosion (By Brent James & Mark San Buenaventura)

Category : CounterKicks, Jordan Brand, Nike

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Day 6 of the inaugural PENSOLE footwear design program at the University of Oregon brings with it a swarm of current and former Nike employees including: Jason Mayden, Cubby Golden, Marc Dolce, Mark Miner, Ashley Payne, Antoni Hope, Emily Sawamura, Denis Dekovic, Andrew Croll, and Ron Wright. The group bestows their collective industry wisdom on Brent James and the PENSOLE students to assist in their assigned class projects. We also get some insight into the baby shoe market as told by guest writer Mark San Buenaventura. Continue reading PENSOLE Day 6: Design Explosion (By Brent James & Mark San Buenaventura)…

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PENSOLE Day 5: Road Trip!!! (By Brent James & Jacob Bevis)

Category : CounterKicks, Jordan Brand, Nike

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Day 5 of Brent James‘ exclusive PENSOLE experience recap begins with a Portland road trip. Introduced to us is another PENSOLE student, Jacob Bevis, a current designer for Ascent Footwear based out of Brisbane, Australia. We follow along as Jacob and Brent acquire research and some inspiration to help guide their assigned footwear design projects along at the half way mark of PENSOLE. Continue reading PENSOLE Day 5: ROAD TRIP!!! (By Brent James & Jacob Bevis)…

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PENSOLE Day 4: Time To Get Busy (By Brent James)

Category : CounterKicks, Jordan Brand, Nike

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Day 4 of the PENSOLE footwear design program penned by Brent James features some special guests including Brian Bednarek (Mesh01), Cubby Golden (Nike Footwear Designer), and Tony Hardman (Nike Footwear Designer) sharing their stories. PENSOLE instructor Matt Rhoades gives the students a crash course in sketching while D’Wayne Edwards caps off the day with a late night chat. Continue reading PENSOLE Day 4: Time To Get Busy (By Brent James)…

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PENSOLE Day 3: Get Your Feet Dirty (By Brent James)

Category : CounterKicks, Jordan Brand, Nike

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Day 3 of Brent James‘ exclusive two-week daily diary (see: Day 1 & Day 2) of his PENSOLE footwear design program experience digs deeper into his assigned IKEA footwear project reviewing both functionality and target markets, color considerations, and where to pull inspiration from. The day’s cameo appearances include Jordan Brand’s Suzette Henri and Nike’s Wilson Smith, and ends with a late night, happy hours-fueled exploration of Portland. Continue reading PENSOLE Day 3: Get Your Feet Dirty (By Brent James)…

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PENSOLE Day 2: Are You Ready For Some Footwear? (By Brent James)

Category : Air Jordan, CounterKicks, Jordan Brand, Nike

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Yesterday, Brent James sized up the competition and launched his exclusive two-week daily diary charting his experience in the inaugural PENSOLE footwear design school currently being held at the University of Oregon. The course participants feature some of the brightest up and coming footwear design talent, including previous Future Sole winners, Nike design interns, high school students, college undergrads, and in general very hungry design minds looking to make a huge impact on the footwear industry in the coming decades. Brent gives us a behind-the-scenes Day 2 recap at PENSOLE illustrated by red rubber balls, Air Jordan models, IKEA, and some insights into the footwear design process. Continue reading PENSOLE DAY 2: Are You Ready For Some Footwear? (By Brent James)…

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PENSOLE Day 1: Sizing Up The Competition (By Brent James)

Category : CounterKicks, Jordan Brand, Nike

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CounterKicks has exclusively invited Brent James, one of the students accepted into the inaugural PENSOLE footwear design school at the University of Oregon, to share a first hand account of his experience in the program on a daily basis over the next two weeks. PENSOLE is the brainchild of D’Wayne Edwards, Jordan Brand Design Director, who is teaching the studio intensive design course for a group of hand picked designers looking to make the next generational wave in the footwear industry. The course runs from June 21st to July 2nd with an aggressive 9-6PM schedule. Brent James will be here to cover it all each day. If you’re looking to get a glimpse into the molding of the industry’s freshest up and coming talent, look no further then PENSOLE. Continue reading PENSOLE Day 1: Sizing Up The Competition (By Brent James)…