rockdeep
Banned
- 5,269
- 13
- Joined
- Dec 28, 2002
Congrats to a dude I know has the Talent and the drive and most of all the Patience.... He is the second coming of Petrie aka AlphaFlight..
Vocal Congrats my man. You deserve it.
Great Article:
14-Jan-2010
Posted by : John Brilliant
Comments: (2)
[h2]It Was All A Dream: Tony Hardman, Nike Employee[/h2]
Category : Counter Kicks, Nike, Project Bluefoot
Tags: Aaron Cooper, 'Wayne Edwards, Denis Dekovic, Jason Petrie, Nike, NikeTalk, Project Bluefoot, Skechers, Tony Hardman
Tony Hardman was part of the original judging team for the Air Jordan Design Competition on Counter Kicks' official footwear design division, Project Bluefoot. His unconventional route into the footwear industry took him from working retail to freelancing at Jordan Brand and eventually working at Skechers. And now? Meet your newest Nike Employee, Tony Hardman…
-
As originally posted on Counter Kicks' footwear design division, Project Bluefoot:
Project Bluefoot: I know it's been your life long dream to work at Nike. How did it feel to finally get hired there?
Tony Hardman: Man, honestly it's hard to really fathom. Obviously, getting a dream job…it doesn't get any more exciting or rewarding than that! On the other hand, I had put so much effort into it, that it actually felt like it was earned by the time it happened. The excitement will really kick in once I step on to the campus in a week or so!
PBF: What athletic category did you get hired in at Nike?
Hardman: I'll be jumping into the Core Performance category, which is a great spot for me to start. We create performance products at a lower price point, but maintain the excitement and innovative solutions you'll find in any category at Nike. It's great to come in and learn directly from guys who I have been studying and looking up to for years. They have definitely set the stage for me to be successful and I can't wait to get to work!
PBF: Talk about your design journey on getting to Nike. Where did it start and how involved and long was the process of getting hired at Nike?
Hardman: Getting at Nike was a long process for sure. I have been dreaming about it for 20 years now and giving it 110% effort for about the last 8. It's funny because when I went home for Christmas, my mom was saying "I remember you sitting at the table drawing shoes as a kid and saying you were going to do it for a living someday. I never actually thought you would be doing it! What do I know?!" My path was pretty unconventional though. As many people know I was just a regular shoe head working retail management jobs and drawing shoes at night.
Initially Jason Petrie was a huge inspiration for me and eventually my first mentor back when he was designing for Fila. Eventually, Denis Dekovic (who now works at Nike doing women's training) noticed some of my work on NikeTalk and emailed me the contact info for several big names in the footwear industry. Aaron Cooper was one of those names and also one of the main guys who reached out to me 8 years ago and set me on the right path. While I was in the process of building a book of work to send to him, he moved off to Europe to head up a new design group. Around the same time Jason Petrie had just been hired and put me in contact with D'Wayne Edwards who was the design director for Jordan Brand. So I sent the book to DE and he gave me my first big shot freelancing in 2004 for Jordan…definitely an amazing experience. D'Wayne had worked at Skechers earlier in his career, so he was able to pull a few strings and get me in front of them to interview for a full time position. So over the last 5 years I've been working on some really fun product with the Skechers kids team while building a portfolio of performance product in my free time. 11-12 interviews later, Nike finally saw my potential and gave me the shot I have been dreaming about!
PBF: What's your ultimate goal at Nike and in your design career in general?
Hardman: Really the next step for me is to absorb and learn as much as I can from the crazy talented and knowledgeable people I will be surrounded by at Nike. Many of the designers I grew up idolizing I will be working with on a daily basis. That's an opportunity not too many people get to experience in life, so I plan to take full advantage of it! Seeing other people's work inspires me to design just like watching MJ inspired me to want to play ball. Ultimately, I'd want to have an impact on as many categories as I can, and work on some product that really inspires people either artistically or athletically. If I can design a shoe that really makes someone want to go out and be the best at their sport, and actually make them better in the process, at the end of the day, that's what it's all about. There's nothing more exciting than that! Now that I've sort of conquered this initial goal of just getting in the door, I'll be focused on setting a new, and more "impossible" goal, like getting into a director position or something of that nature. But there's a LOT to learn, so right now I'm just excited to be a part of the history of such a great company and look forward to the future and the possibilities. You never know what's around the corner! I'm looking forward to doing some NON-SHOE related art work in my off time as well!
PBF: What words of advice can you give to the next generation of designers trying to break into the industry?
Hardman: 3 words: Practice, patience and persistence! If there's anything I have learned from this journey, it's that you really can accomplish anything you put your mind to. But that doesn't necessarily mean it's going to be easy. You have to be strong and focused to see it through, and willing to solve the problems and overcome the obstacles that will ultimately come with any goal you set for yourself. Networking and seeking feedback from a few key mentors was HUGE for me, and I think essential for anybody looking to break through. But the other piece to that is actually LISTENING and DOING. I can't tell you how many people have emailed me, seeking advice, then never following through. I think one thing Nike saw in me was a real desire to take in what people were telling me, then adding it to my skill set through practice and applying it to my latest projects. Shoe design is such a multi-skilled trade that you have to constantly evolve and add pieces to your arsenal just to keep up. Not only are you just designing the shoe from an aesthetic standpoint, but also learning to connect with different consumers, developing innovative performance solutions for the athlete, creating logos and graphics, familiarizing yourself with the constantly evolving manufacturing processes and selecting the right materials and colors just to name a few. The competition is FIERCE now, and on an international level - so if you are not prepared to consistently listen and grow you are already out of the game. I have just always been willing to pay my dues, and I truly believe that hard work will always pay off in the end! Cliche, but true!
PBF: Any last words you want to get out?
Hardman: There's a term that people have used over the years to describe me and I'd like to take this opportunity to change it. The term is "self-taught". Coming from a retail background and not having a degree always kind of led people to this conclusion that I must be "self-taught". For the longest time I actually bought into it myself until I really sat and thought about that, then I realized it was the most ridiculous thing ever! I'm actually the furthest thing from self-taught. I learned from an incredible network of people over the years that I want to take an opportunity to thank for reaching out, because without them, I wouldn't know a damn thing! [Laughs.] There are too many to mention individually, but Jason Petrie, Aaron Cooper, D'Wayne Edwards and Denis Dekovic were amazing mentors and never gave a second thought to sharing their knowledge with me. The whole team at Skechers who really took me under their wing and showed me the ropes on so many levels when I came in thinking I knew it all, but really knew nothing! Also all my peers who supported, encouraged, inspired and provided honest feedback through various sites over the years. Thanks guys! I look forward to returning the favor to the next generation of guys coming up. Remember - once you can do something you love for a living, you never have to work a day again the rest of your life! -TH
-
Visit our Footwear Design Division at Project Bluefoot.com
Vocal Congrats my man. You deserve it.
Great Article:
14-Jan-2010
Posted by : John Brilliant
Comments: (2)
[h2]It Was All A Dream: Tony Hardman, Nike Employee[/h2]
Category : Counter Kicks, Nike, Project Bluefoot
Tags: Aaron Cooper, 'Wayne Edwards, Denis Dekovic, Jason Petrie, Nike, NikeTalk, Project Bluefoot, Skechers, Tony Hardman
Tony Hardman was part of the original judging team for the Air Jordan Design Competition on Counter Kicks' official footwear design division, Project Bluefoot. His unconventional route into the footwear industry took him from working retail to freelancing at Jordan Brand and eventually working at Skechers. And now? Meet your newest Nike Employee, Tony Hardman…
-
As originally posted on Counter Kicks' footwear design division, Project Bluefoot:
Project Bluefoot: I know it's been your life long dream to work at Nike. How did it feel to finally get hired there?
Tony Hardman: Man, honestly it's hard to really fathom. Obviously, getting a dream job…it doesn't get any more exciting or rewarding than that! On the other hand, I had put so much effort into it, that it actually felt like it was earned by the time it happened. The excitement will really kick in once I step on to the campus in a week or so!
PBF: What athletic category did you get hired in at Nike?
Hardman: I'll be jumping into the Core Performance category, which is a great spot for me to start. We create performance products at a lower price point, but maintain the excitement and innovative solutions you'll find in any category at Nike. It's great to come in and learn directly from guys who I have been studying and looking up to for years. They have definitely set the stage for me to be successful and I can't wait to get to work!
PBF: Talk about your design journey on getting to Nike. Where did it start and how involved and long was the process of getting hired at Nike?
Hardman: Getting at Nike was a long process for sure. I have been dreaming about it for 20 years now and giving it 110% effort for about the last 8. It's funny because when I went home for Christmas, my mom was saying "I remember you sitting at the table drawing shoes as a kid and saying you were going to do it for a living someday. I never actually thought you would be doing it! What do I know?!" My path was pretty unconventional though. As many people know I was just a regular shoe head working retail management jobs and drawing shoes at night.
Initially Jason Petrie was a huge inspiration for me and eventually my first mentor back when he was designing for Fila. Eventually, Denis Dekovic (who now works at Nike doing women's training) noticed some of my work on NikeTalk and emailed me the contact info for several big names in the footwear industry. Aaron Cooper was one of those names and also one of the main guys who reached out to me 8 years ago and set me on the right path. While I was in the process of building a book of work to send to him, he moved off to Europe to head up a new design group. Around the same time Jason Petrie had just been hired and put me in contact with D'Wayne Edwards who was the design director for Jordan Brand. So I sent the book to DE and he gave me my first big shot freelancing in 2004 for Jordan…definitely an amazing experience. D'Wayne had worked at Skechers earlier in his career, so he was able to pull a few strings and get me in front of them to interview for a full time position. So over the last 5 years I've been working on some really fun product with the Skechers kids team while building a portfolio of performance product in my free time. 11-12 interviews later, Nike finally saw my potential and gave me the shot I have been dreaming about!
PBF: What's your ultimate goal at Nike and in your design career in general?
Hardman: Really the next step for me is to absorb and learn as much as I can from the crazy talented and knowledgeable people I will be surrounded by at Nike. Many of the designers I grew up idolizing I will be working with on a daily basis. That's an opportunity not too many people get to experience in life, so I plan to take full advantage of it! Seeing other people's work inspires me to design just like watching MJ inspired me to want to play ball. Ultimately, I'd want to have an impact on as many categories as I can, and work on some product that really inspires people either artistically or athletically. If I can design a shoe that really makes someone want to go out and be the best at their sport, and actually make them better in the process, at the end of the day, that's what it's all about. There's nothing more exciting than that! Now that I've sort of conquered this initial goal of just getting in the door, I'll be focused on setting a new, and more "impossible" goal, like getting into a director position or something of that nature. But there's a LOT to learn, so right now I'm just excited to be a part of the history of such a great company and look forward to the future and the possibilities. You never know what's around the corner! I'm looking forward to doing some NON-SHOE related art work in my off time as well!
PBF: What words of advice can you give to the next generation of designers trying to break into the industry?
Hardman: 3 words: Practice, patience and persistence! If there's anything I have learned from this journey, it's that you really can accomplish anything you put your mind to. But that doesn't necessarily mean it's going to be easy. You have to be strong and focused to see it through, and willing to solve the problems and overcome the obstacles that will ultimately come with any goal you set for yourself. Networking and seeking feedback from a few key mentors was HUGE for me, and I think essential for anybody looking to break through. But the other piece to that is actually LISTENING and DOING. I can't tell you how many people have emailed me, seeking advice, then never following through. I think one thing Nike saw in me was a real desire to take in what people were telling me, then adding it to my skill set through practice and applying it to my latest projects. Shoe design is such a multi-skilled trade that you have to constantly evolve and add pieces to your arsenal just to keep up. Not only are you just designing the shoe from an aesthetic standpoint, but also learning to connect with different consumers, developing innovative performance solutions for the athlete, creating logos and graphics, familiarizing yourself with the constantly evolving manufacturing processes and selecting the right materials and colors just to name a few. The competition is FIERCE now, and on an international level - so if you are not prepared to consistently listen and grow you are already out of the game. I have just always been willing to pay my dues, and I truly believe that hard work will always pay off in the end! Cliche, but true!
PBF: Any last words you want to get out?
Hardman: There's a term that people have used over the years to describe me and I'd like to take this opportunity to change it. The term is "self-taught". Coming from a retail background and not having a degree always kind of led people to this conclusion that I must be "self-taught". For the longest time I actually bought into it myself until I really sat and thought about that, then I realized it was the most ridiculous thing ever! I'm actually the furthest thing from self-taught. I learned from an incredible network of people over the years that I want to take an opportunity to thank for reaching out, because without them, I wouldn't know a damn thing! [Laughs.] There are too many to mention individually, but Jason Petrie, Aaron Cooper, D'Wayne Edwards and Denis Dekovic were amazing mentors and never gave a second thought to sharing their knowledge with me. The whole team at Skechers who really took me under their wing and showed me the ropes on so many levels when I came in thinking I knew it all, but really knew nothing! Also all my peers who supported, encouraged, inspired and provided honest feedback through various sites over the years. Thanks guys! I look forward to returning the favor to the next generation of guys coming up. Remember - once you can do something you love for a living, you never have to work a day again the rest of your life! -TH
-
Visit our Footwear Design Division at Project Bluefoot.com
