Vince Lebon: Designing the Future of Footwear, Problem Solving, and The Power of Persistence

Gamma Project

Vince Lebon is one of the most creative and astute minds in the footwear industry. In 2012, inspired by his flight attendant wife—Kat, aka Rollie—the Melbourne-based designer founded Rollie Nation, a collection of stylish, lightweight, travel-friendly footwear. In our interview, Vince tells the story of how he sold his first 500 pairs of shoes—his entire inventory—in just four weeks, and from there grew Rollie to become one of Australia’s most popular footwear brands. To personally spearhead Rollie’s introduction into the US market, Vince recently moved his family to Brooklyn, New York. Shortly after arriving in the States, Vince won a scholarship to Brooklyn’s prestigious Pensole Academy, which subsequently served as the set for the YouTube original series, Lace Up: The Ultimate Sneaker Challenge. Vince was cast into the show and ended up winning it all after designing a shoe that was personally selected by NBA star James Harden. The victory landed Vince a job at Adidas, where he now creates top-secret future footwear concepts at the brand’s secretive Brooklyn Creator Farm. He also just put out a limited-edition sneaker for Asics—an opportunity earned during his time at Pensole’s Fueling The Future Of Footwear master class. In this interview, Vince and I discuss his creative process, as well as how he is able to juggle several projects at once. We talk about exactly what he did to grow his first brand, and how–through social media, pop-up activations, and collaborations with others—he was able to scale the business internationally. Persistence is a major theme in this conversation, and Vince recounts specifically how certain roadblocks that he’s encountered have ultimately contributed to his success in the industry. The father of two young kids, Vince also talks about how he and Kat—who has since left the airline world for fashion—make time for family while working full-time to grow their own brands in a new market. And, of course, we talk sneaker culture. From future trends and cutting-edge innovations that are furthering the game, to the dark world of resellers, Vince talks about the powerful influence of footwear design on our culture, and the responsibility that comes with that. Few people are as qualified to talk about this industry as Vince, so it’s a real honor to have him on the show. It’s been a pleasure to get to know Vince over time, and as it turns out, we’re actually neighbors. I hope you enjoy this episode and take as much of it to heart as I have. -------------------------------------- This episode is brought to you by iFIT NOURISH. iFIT NOURISH delivers personalized nutrition to your door—with protein, vitamins, and minerals to support your individual needs. When you go to iFITNOURISH.com, you’ll fill out a quick questionnaire with basic information, like your gender, age, height, and weight, before providing insights into your lifestyle, like your typical energy levels, daily sun exposure, whether or not you’re a smoker, how often you exercise, the kinds of exercise you do, and—of course—your goals. In the dietary section, you’ll input how much fruit and vegetables you get through your diet, any dietary preferences—like if you prefer a vegan or vegetarian mix—food allergies, how often you plan to drink the shakes, and whether you intend to use them as meal replacements or supplements. You can also pick your favorite flavor. Whether you’re looking to build muscle, lose weight, increase your endurance, improve energy levels or athletic performance, or even just maintain, iFIT NOURISH was created to arm you with the nutrition you need to go after your goals while also providing a solid daily nutritional foundation. Your first personalized order is free. Just pay $5 shipping, and you’ll get a free shaker bottle. Try it for yourself today at iFITNOURISH.com.