Name: Harrison Davis
Course: Sneaker Essentials
Instagram: @sneakerscoffeechampagne
I enrolled in Sneaker Essentials so I could..
gain a more global perspective on the industry that I’m so passionate about.
Where are you working now?
Stadium Goods
Has your experience in Sneaker Essentials impacted your career at all yet, and if so, how?
Sneaker Essentials helped me decide what part of the industry I was most interested in pursuing the rest of my career in. Having owned a tier one independent sneaker boutique for 6 years, most of my vantage point comes from that angle of the industry. As I transitioned from Baltimore to NYC, Sneaker Essentials helped me to narrow down my specific interests within a much wider industry and endless opportunities in NYC. Ultimately I landed at Private Client Services at Stadium Goods. Being introduced to a more in-depth look in to the SG brand, and mission, during the Sneakers Essential course definitely impacted my decision to apply to positions at Stadium Goods.
Why did you think the course was right for you when you enrolled?
I enrolled in Sneaker Essentials to get a broader perspective of the industry, end-to-end. My primary experiences had been as a collector and owner in the independent space. To grow my career and be able to compete in the NYC market I wanted to grow my knowledge of design, supply channels, big box, mass marketing, etc.
How did the course prepare you for working in the sneaker industry?
The course gave me great perspective into the mass amount of different avenues you can take within the sneaker industry. From design, to supply chain, processing, management, buying, customer service; I really feel like the course gave a great overview of the industry as a whole.
How did the partnership with Fashion Institute of Technology for Sneaker Essentials affect your choice to take the program?
Just like FIT legitimizes the knowledge being shared, the partnership with Complex legitimizes that the people sharing the knowledge are significant in sneaker culture, beyond just knowledge.
What assignment, course, and/or instructor sticks out in your mind or taught you something valuable?
Sue from Rime really stuck out in my mind. Her authentic story about creating a boutique in the early 2000’s, to her first collab with Puma, to the struggles of being independent really resonated with me, and gave great perspective around that era of the industry.
What would you say to a friend or fellow Sneakerhead about Sneaker Essentials?
I would tell friends that are both interested in getting into the industry, or who have been in the industry for a while, that the course is a great high level framework of the industry at large. For those looking to get into the industry, this gives invaluable insight into many of the heavy hitting brands and stores. For those who have been in the industry for a while, this allows you to look back at the industry from the outside in as you prepare to make your next moves or rethink old logic.
