I’ve been designing and developing products for 34 years, and have a Bachelor’s Degree in Industrial Design and an MBA degree. For the first 10 years of my career, I developed furniture, boats, clocks, and housewares in product development and project management roles, including manufacturing, styling, ergonomics, and working with sales. For the past 24 years, I’ve focused on footwear, working primarily as a designer and director for fashion, comfort, athletic, and lifestyle brands.

I also provide expert witness services via litigation support and testimony in legal proceedings dealing with footwear patents, manufacturing quality, infringement and more.

Brands that I’ve worked with include Cole Haan, Kenneth Cole, Levis, Ninewest, Easy Spirit, Vivienne Westwood, Thakoon, Sophia Kokosolaki, Everlast, Avia, Starter, Floafers, Nina, and Sperry among others. I wrote the book "Success with Shoes" as a how-to footwear guide focused on brand strategy, tactical planning, and execution of a footwear line.

Consult with me to ask questions, discuss your concerns or ideas, explore pros and cons, examine a situation you are facing, evaluate a shoe, source a factory, discuss fitting, quality, cost, comfort, materials, design and development, or if you need help putting together a technical package or specification to get a factory moving forward. I look forward to hearing from you - Rob