Design &
development.
An industry-leading footwear design and development team, available for any footwear project — from a single hero style to a full seasonal line.
Pinnacle archive · On the shoemaking floorTwenty-plus years designing, developing and producing men's and women's footwear for disruptive brands and fashion labels.
We work the way a brand's own footwear department would, if it had one: line planning against your assortment and calendar, design that respects your codes, and development that turns a sketch into a factory-ready spec without losing the idea on the way.
What design and development covers
Assortment & line planning
Detailed analysis and industry insight to build your assortment strategy — what to make, at what price, in what depth.
- Category and price-tier mapping
- Competitive read
- Seasonal line plan
- Margin architecture
- SKU rationalization
- Calendar
Design
Silhouettes, lasts, constructions, materials and details, drawn by designers who have shipped hundreds of styles across dress, casual, sneakers, boots and sandals.
- Concept and mood
- Sketch and CAD
- Last selection and development
- Material and color direction
- Trim, hardware and ornamentation
- Range boards
Development
Everything between the drawing and the first sample: tech packs, spec sheets, component sourcing and cost engineering to the target.
- Tech packs and spec sheets
- Bill of materials
- Component sourcing
- Cost engineering
- Construction selection
- Factory briefing
Sampling & fit
Pull-overs, then confirmation samples. Wear-tested on real feet, revised until it is right, then graded.
- Pull-over samples
- Confirmation samples
- Fit and wear testing
- Grading
- Salesman samples
- Photo samples
The construction decides everything.
Blake, stitchdown, cemented, vulcanized, Strobel and injection — and we will tell you which one your price point and your customer actually need.
Categories: dress, dress-casual, loafers, boots, sneakers, sandals and slippers — men's and women's. Men's is what we are known for; women's is the work we have done quietly for partners for years, in the same exclusive factories.
The work behind the shoe.
Design decisions become drawings, patterns and samples. These examples from our published archive show that work in progress.
Color references and an annotated sketch describe the silhouette, seams and finishing details before sampling.
Pinnacle archive · Footwear design
Drawing on a taped last helps translate the design into an upper pattern and check how the pieces will meet.
Pinnacle archive · Sourcing and developmentFrom sample to production.
Once the sample is approved, sourcing and manufacturing carry the specification through production, quality checks and delivery.
Where it gets madeHave a style in mind?
Bring a sketch, a reference or just a price point. We reply with an honest read on what it will take.