FOOTWEAR DESIGN & DEVELOPMENT CERTIFICATE

Footwear Design and Development Certificate

Take just one of the footwear courses or earn a certificate. The 13-week professional certificate is comprised of 3 courses that provide students with a comprehensive overview of the footwear industry while developing the necessary skills that lead to successful product design. Industry partners and instructors with extensive experience in design, materials, and footwear production will provide key elements from concept through marketing in creating functional and fashionable shoes for contemporary consumers.

Recieve a discount when you sign-up for the certificate which includes all 3 courses.

Shoe Design Basics (FASH910)

Instructor: Mike Friton

Beginning with basic design processes, students will focus on developing a solid foundation of shoe design ability. History, vocabulary, biomechanics, sketching, brief creation, materials selection, pattern-making techniques and construction systems will lead to the creation of digital collections, which will be critiqued by footwear industry professionals. Presentation and storytelling skills will be introduced. Students must have a basic understanding of design processes using the elements and principles and a sound understanding of Adobe Illustrator and Photoshop.

• Sept 24 - Oct 28, 2024

Cost: $695

Footwear Materials, Color & Trend Analysis (FASH930)

Instructor: Anna Marie Smith

This six-week course will combine the need to balance footwear design criteria of form, function and performance with forecasting ability and analysis.

Appropriate material choices for uppers and soles need to reflect comprehensive research of consumer and end-use purpose to assure fit, shape, style and comfort. Costing and sourcing factors also play a pivotal role in selecting resources. This course will introduce students to a wide variety of upper and sole materials, their performance attributes, manufacturing best practices of these resources, and strategies for making wise choices. Additionally, the use and application of color will be examined through a global lens to evaluate the influence color is having on the rise of the contemporary shoe market.

In addition, this course is designed to enhance forecasting ability through a combination of “pulse point” research, analysis, and presentation so that the design approach can be tailored to market need. Students will learn examining techniques for interpreting the social and cultural influences on footwear which facilitates the ability to recognize and predict trends in the global market. Storytelling within the context of brand representation will be explored through marketing strategies such as; social media, special events, public relations and advertising. Market analysis will include understanding the consumer, the competition, and the retail landscape.

• Oct 29 - Dec 9, 2024

Cost: $795

Footwear Product Development (FASH 912)

Instructor: Elizabeth Brock-Jones

You’ll learn how footwear goes from Brief to Box while thinking about the development process through multiple different lenses, including fit, function, profitability, sustainability, manufacturability, delivering products on time, and on design. Understanding manufacturing processes, production pattern making, material usage and regulations, factory placement, sustainability and product costing analysis is imperative in making creative design decisions. This course will introduce shoe designers to key factors that have a direct impact on the production and distribution of footwear products. In 4 short weeks, you’ll have a comprehensive view of footwear development and the ability to think critically about development-related issues and solutions, and some tangible takeaways to improve your career interview portfolio.

• Aug 27 - Sept 20, 2024

Cost: $695

Scholarships

Ask about our scholarship opportunities. Email profstudies@lasell.edu and let us know the program you are interested in applying to and the courses you would like to take. You will receive information to apply and deadlines to submit the materials.

Instructors

Elizabeth Brock-Jones

Elizabeth Brock-Jones is currently Kids Innovation Director at Nike, where she’s worked for the past 9.5 years. During that time, she’s worked with Innovation, Nike Sportswear, Special Projects, Global Express lane and Fuel teams on projects that range from sandals, boots, ACG, running and the entire Off-White x Nike: The Ten collection. Elizabeth also teaches for the University of Oregon Sports Product Management Program based in Portland, OR, and Lasell University. Prior to starting at Nike, Elizabeth received her BS in Kinesiology from Iowa State, as well as an MS in Biomechanics from the University of Tennessee and an MBA in Sports Marketing from the University of Oregon.

Mike Friton

After leaving Nike in 2009, Friton founded his own company, Friton Design. Friton Design is a creative incubator for innovative footwear design and product development. The mission is to leverage a passion for creativity in athletic shoe design to a broader spectrum of product development. Friton explores universal design principles and applies them innovatively to create radically different and uniquely functional new products.

Friton's extensive knowledge and hands-on expertise with high-quality demand products has been successfully applied to various goods and industries worldwide. In addition to his superior functionality expertise, he has experience in all facets of product design, product development, prototype making, pattern engineering and grading, CAD modeling, tech packs, small-scale local production, factory sourcing, and material sourcing.

Friton graduated from the University of Oregon with an anthropology degree. As a student at Oregon, he was a competitive runner and collaborated with the Co-Founder of Nike, Mr. Bill Bowerman, for 18 years.

Anna Marie Smith

Anna Smith's creative endeavors started at age two when she graffitied her name on the side of her mattress with a red Sanford permanent marker. She has been creating ever since. Smith is a cross-pollinator. Her creative and professional work over the last 22 years has connected/crossed many different artistic genres, encompassing more than these labels we give them: dance/movement arts, design, and visual art. Throughout, observer, educator, and maker have been constant.

Her background in dance performance and choreography taught her the importance of storytelling and she had a deep appreciation for the materials that created different shoes for different functions…eventually aiding her career transition to design. Smith received her Master's Degree in Industrial Design from North Carolina State University, where she focused on Human Factors and Ergonomics, experimented with Surface Pattern Design, and supplemented her education with footwear-specific programs at Pensole Academy.

Smith has spent the last decade as a Footwear Designer, Color Designer, Material & Trend Specialist, Graphic Designer, and Educator. As an Education Director, she spent 6 years focusing on community and industry partnerships, taught color/trend/merchandising, and developed/taught a personal branding & portfolio prep course incorporating Color, Trend, and Storytelling. Brands she has worked with: Keen Footwear, Olukai Footwear, MLab Collective, and Pensole Academy. Smith also teaches Industrial Design at James Madison University, both foundations/skills, and studio courses.