Jason Petrie:

     There were so few people on NT [NikeTalk] back in those days - I never would have thought that anything I put up on that board would ever be seen by anyone outside of a few sneakerheads like myself. I think I saw a posted rendering that was getting a lot of love on the site, so I figured I would put one of mine up to see if I could generate a response. My style was so different back then - I almost hate looking at old drawings, but that first VC concept I posted is one of my favorites. I remember some of the guys on the site just flipping over the drawing, and for me, that was really cool. When I saw that people in the game were feelin what I was doing, that gave me a lot of confidence, and really made me want to just get busy and put up more work to get feedback on.

	“	Take it from me, there is some product coming down the pipes here that is gonna have you wanting to stand in line for it- it's very exciting to be a part of. ”
		— JP

In those days, the NT feedback helped me out a great deal, because it isn't like they were feelin everything... There were so many drawings, I think at one time I had my entire portfolio up on the site. Some real old school cats might remember the EJ Sixspeeds, the Trunner max, the magnetic Jordan, the Kobeposite, (long before he signed with Nike) the faded Agassi's, too many to name. I had such a great time doing those shoes because at the time I was just a college kid, having fun drawing shoes. I think it all came to a climax with my Air Jordan 1 new retros- there were a lot of respected NT'ers giving me props for that one, and some important people got a look at some of my work. It was a great forum for me to try out new things and get actual reactions from people who knew and loved shoes- a very core audience for shoe designers. If you ask me, I still think Niketalk is a great way to show your work, because people in every corner of this business check that site, regardless of the company, I still check it every day...

      I had been posting drawings on NT for the better part of a year, not thinking anyone who actually worked in the shoe industry actually checked the board, (except for Ekin702) I was basically doing it for fun and to better myself as a designer. One day I got an email from a Fila designer in Italy, we talked via email a few times, and before I knew it, I was living in Montebelluna, Italy, designing shoes for Fila. I consider myself really fortunate, because it was simply a case of being in the right place at the right time, and Fila presented me with a wonderful opportunity to step in and make a contribution right away. I eventually moved back to the States and began work trying to resurrect the Fila basketball situation. Working alongside the legendary designer David Raysse (GH2, Stackhouse) and Mike Houser, we just brought the soul back to Fila, and were committed to making the shoes as cool as we could. My 2 major contributions were probably the Truth and the Strapt - both available now, but pretty hard to find, due to Fila's poor distribution, but I know the true heads have seen them on NT. I think that we did turn a corner while I was there, but a lot has changed with the company since I have left, and I don't really know how they will keep the ball rolling. I can say it was a great experience for me, and not only did I learn a lot, I met some incredible people along the way...

      Moving from Fila to Nike has been an enormous change for me. Really you are talking about two totally different worlds because Fila is so small compared to Nike. My transition is actually still in progress, and I am just trying to feel my way around and find my niche on my team. There are some real legends that work out here, so it feels great just to be on the same squad as them. It has been mind blowing to meet some designers I have always looked up to, and just to drive onto the Nike campus every day is a thrill for me, it is the realization of a dream I have had since I was in 7th grade, so basically I am still pinching myself. I can't really say much about what I am working on, or what we have in store for everybody, but we are thinking of a ways to give back a little to NT and sites like this one to show that we hear you out there, and things are changing. I am a fan of the game, and I love the shoes and the stories behind them, and I want to bring the love back to the shoes - like in the glory days of footwear when it wasn't all about profit. There are a lot of people like that out here, they want to make something special, not just a foot covering. Take it from me, there is some product coming down the pipes here that is gonna have you wanting to stand in line for it- it's very exciting to be a part of.

      Words of advice... First of all, I know it sounds corny, but believe in your dream. When I was coming up people always thought how strange it was to want to be a shoe designer, and I had no clue how to make it happen - I just felt like it would because I loved it so much. Don't get me wrong, I worked my butt off, and for anyone who wants to design a product professionally, work is THE crucial element, but my passion for Nike and for footwear design is what I believe set me apart from other designers. Secondly - make sure you get your education sewn up, and get an internship. You need the schooling to get the big wigs to look at your resume, but you will learn more with an internship than you ever will in school, and that will help you make contacts, which are really important in this industry because it is so small. Now it is easier than ever to show your work to numerous people who can help you out. Whether it be Niketalk.com, Kicksguide.com, Coroflot.com, anywhere online is a good place to start showing drawings. It shouldn't be your primary outlet, but it never hurts, and you never know who is watching, waiting to find that new talent. Working at Nike is not an unobtainable goal - we are constantly searching for new, fresh talent, and if you feel like you have what it takes, all you have to do is work to make it happen...

      Working at Nike so far has surpassed any expectations I might have had. I have only been here what, goin on a month now, and I am still learning my way around. But for a Nike fiend like myself, just walking around and seeing all the crazy samples, or new Lebron's, or Vick's, or whatever, and don't even get me started with all the hot Jordan stuff - that is as good as getting paid in my opinion (that employee discount is nice on the wallet too). The facilities in Beaverton are world class, as are the people that work here, and I can tell I want to be here for a long time to come. I feel like now is the time to resurrect what Nike was in the glory days - it just feels right, and I am privileged to be a part of the new movement around here, and I am very thankful for the opportunity to work with a great group of people at the greatest sports company on the planet. I definitely didn't do it on my own though - If it wasn't for Dave and Jouser at Fila, Professor K, Russ, and D.E., among others, I'm sure I wouldn't be sitting here writing this right now, so a big shout out to all those guys, and to Niketalk for giving me the opportunity to show my love in the first place. I hope that the Artist's Series on KicksGuide turns out to be a good place for young designers out there - I know I will be keeping my eye on it - and I won't be the only one...