It's not often that you get to see the birth of an entirely new global brand, but that's exactly what anyone watching the emergence of k1x has been witness to. With its roots in Germany, the company is now getting set to make a big push into the U.S. market with customized and very limited versions of their flagship Chiefglider. Join Prof. K as he learns how they got started, how the Chiefglider came about, and where k1x is headed.
by Professor K, posted July 15, 2003
Prof. K: For the benefit of those who aren't familiar with Kickz, could you talk a little bit about your company, its roots, and how you arrived at your current position as a major global retailer?
Chris: Hi Prof. Thanks for the chance to talk here a little bit about k1x and Kickz. I founded Kickz with a friend of mine 10 years ago. We opened our store In Munich, Germany in November 1993 and we were quickly known to have one of the finest selections of sneakers around, so people came from far and wide to visit our store. Eventually we received calls from all over Europe, so we started our Web site www.kickz.com and to date we've shipped to over 100 countries.
I teamed up with AND 1 when they hit the market and was their first international distributor, but it wasn't long before I started my own brand. "k1x - nation of hoop" is now the most popular basketball apparel brand in Germany. Our first shoe roll out, the k1x Chiefglider, went great; all the big sizes in the white colorways were sold out after 3 weeks (I really didn't expect that the actual players -- who roll on bigger feet -- would embrace our shoes like that for on-court play).
We just opened a US warehouse, from where we'll ship the k1x Chiefglider and some Jordan shoes. We'll add more stuff every month to the special www.kickz.us website. For example, the new Chiefglider Rucker series should be available by the end of July (in very limited quantities, since Rucker's Playground LLC -- the owner of the brand names -- only gave us a deal to do four styles, each restricted to 1,500 pairs). The Chiefglider Rucker Edition is white hot, which you'll see for yourself. 50 Cent and LL Cool J can be seen wearing vintage Rucker apparel in their latest videos. Ballers everywhere know and respect teams like the Shamrocks or Dr. J's Westsiders. Besides the Chiefglider Rucker Edition, the new Whitey Lows and the new white/carolina Chiefglider Mids will also be on sale in the U.S. But on kickz.com and kickz.us things are not only about k1x, we'll continue to keep up the special selection of b-ball shoes and fashion sneakers like Pumas and limited old school adidas.
Prof. K: Did you always have a love of hoops shoes? If so, do you remember the first shoe that really caught your eye?
Chris: I was never really into adidas since everybody was wearing them back in the day in Germany (especially this ugly indoor socker shoe called "Samba"). I was into Diadora Björn Borgs, made of fine kangaroo leather. When Nike introduced the Air Force 1 I sported them and wore most of the Jordans too.
Prof. K: Kickz has been a successful retailer of hoops shoes and hoops related products for a while now, what made you decide to take the plunge into shoe design and development?
Chris: We saw the chance to come up with an innovative shoe that combined classic basketball design with the performance of the best, pure-breed performers on the market.
figure 1a, b, & c. This set of images shows the evolution of the k1x Chiefglider from an early sketch (1a), to the final sketch (1b), to the final product (1c). The final versions shown here are the soon to be released white/carolina blue colorway of the Chiefglider Mid and the "Whitey Low," which is a low-top version of the shoe.
Prof. K: I imagine it must have been a tough decision. Were you concerned at all about alienating some of the shoe manufacturers whose lines you carry? Was that why you went with the name k1x instead of explicitly naming the shoe brand after your store?
Chris: We named it k1x, which you can pronounce "kickz" or "kay-one-ex," to separate it from the store. Kickz.com doesn't really treat k1x much better than the other brands we carry and the development of the brand didn't hurt our relationships with our other suppliers (e.g Nike or Reebok) at all. Nike and adidas had already gone vertical by opening their own stores. Actually, we found that it was the opposite! We feel more respected than before, since there are only a handful of brands out there producing performance basketball shoes.
Prof. K: Given how crowded the hoops space has become in recent years were you concerned about being able to get a foothold in the marketplace? I guess it helps to be a major retailer, but to the consumer, what does k1x bring to the table that the established brands like adidas, Nike, and Reebok and the mid-level players like AND 1, Fila, and Converse don't? In other words, what sets k1x apart as a brand and why should anyone buy k1x shoes or apparel?
Chris: I see a good niche in the marketplace for us. From the brands which are "for ballers only," there aren't too many that don't sell-(out) to J.C. Penney. I still like the slogan BK had 10 years ago; "your mother wears Nike." There are many ballers out there who don't want to wear the same brand their mother pushes the grocery cart with. And the odds that the fat guy down the street picked up the AND 1 sleeveless t-shirt at J.C. Penney for $6.99 to wear when he washes his car are quite high...no offense, but I see the demand for a more exclusive, more limited brand out there. We'll continue to bring new ideas to the table, putting the funk straight outta the nation of hoop onto inner-city courts the world over.
Prof. K: [Laughs] Ouch, you're not pulling any punches! Staying on this topic, what do you think of the athletic shoe industry as it is today? You're in an interesting position in that you're both a retailer of other brands and a manufacturer of your own brand. You also operate outside of the U.S., which perhaps gives you a broader perspective on the industry as a whole. Do you think that the number of brands being marketed to hoops consumers is sustainable?
Chris: I think so. Just look at the apparel market and how many brands do well over there. The hoop shoes scene is still quite small. There is Nike of course, but even Reebok, AND 1 and adidas only have a couple of styles that work. Fila and Converse are not really doing much on the performance side and then I already see the Chiefglider creating interest. I think they'll all stay around. DaDa is also a nice addition to the scene. Sooner or later they will start using better materials, start some R&D and eventually get the performance aspects covered in their shoes.
Prof. K: Being based out of Germany I'm not sure if you'll have any thoughts on this, but I wanted to ask you about Footlocker and the dominant position that it holds here in the States. This may be a loaded question since you're a retailer yourself, but what do you think about one retailer having so much influence on the marketplace (to the point where Footlocker now plays a major role in determining the styles and colorways that many manufacturers produce)? Do you see any benefit to consumers and, if not, is there anything that we can do about it?
Chris: I don't know Footlocker USA too well, apart from the fact that they are huge and control a good chunk of the market. In Europe, Footlocker is without question the most professional chain and my partner of choice for the future. I know quite a few people there and they really know what they are doing (compared to the clueless people at the other giants we have over here). I actually think that the consumer benefits because eventually there are more colorways out there -- some Footlocker exclusives, but also styles which are available only through different channels.
figure 2. Here's a good look at the Sundevils edition of the k1x Chiefglider Rucker series. Note that this is based on the low-top version of the Chiefglider. The detailing is wonderful and, though I know I shouldn't play favorites, I just love this version of the shoe. Expect it to be available in very limited quantities on www.kickz.us within the next few weeks.
Prof. K: How about these insanely huge shoe deals (i.e. Nike with LeBron, Reebok locking up NBA shoes and apparel for 10 years, adidas with T-Mac, etc.) and all of the movement between brands that's been happening of late (i.e. Duncan to adidas, KG to adidas, Kobe to Nike, etc.)...do you think the balance of power has changed at all and is all this money locking out the small manufacturers? Also, you've signed some European players to the k1x brand recently too, is that right? Do you think it's necessary for manufacturer in the hoops space to sign prominent players in order to sell shoes effectively?
Chris: I don't want to comment to much on that, since it reveals too much of our marketing plan, but our approach will be different. I want to see players full of heart who give all they have to promote my shoes. Cocky players like those who tried to make Jordan look bad at the All-Star Game (2002) and those who dress up like insurance brokers for post-game interviews are not my prime choice for players to represent my brand.
Ademola Okulaja carried the German National Team to the European Championships (which is a bigger event then the World Championships for us), while Dirk Diggler [Ed. Note: he means Dirk Nowitzki] had to play season games for Dallas. Then there's Rasheed Sparks, who always brings his A-game. His 46 inch vertical and deep passion for the game are inspiring. I hope he makes it to the L soon because once he does he'll make it regularly to the courtside countdown (top 10). Our squad, the k1x spriters, are defending champions of the NBA Basketball Challenge and feature some real asphalt-looseball-divers, like Ken Carter (Ex Harlem Globetrotter/short stint with the Sacto Kings). Another guy I really like is Zach Marbury. I just came back from a shoot for a new Slam ad featuring Zach. He is a really dedicated worker and I'm sure he'll join his brother [Ed. Note: his brother is Stephon Marbury] in the pros.
Prof. K: And finally, what do you think about Nike acquiring Converse? Do you think it'll have any impact on k1x?
Chris: I think its good, since now we have one player less in the industry! [Laughs]
About the k1x Chiefglider
Prof. K: Was designing and developing your own shoe something that you'd been thinking about for a long time?
Chris: I've known Pete for a long time and he is a true baller. He's had hoops shoe ideas spinning around his head for the longest time. But he worked for Puma and had to design soccer shoes and car racing styles (big in Europe). When I promised him that we were actually going to make a performance basketball shoe if he came up with a promising concept, he worked on it day and night. He has put years of ideas and concepts into the Chiefglider. He told me a dream came true for him when we finally got started.
Prof. K to Pete: Did you know right away what you wanted the Chiefglider to be or was there a long design and development process?
Pete: We knew that the first shoe had to make a statement; we had to draw peoples' attention. We ran through an intense design and development process. This was our first shot and we wanted the very best quality and performance possible. We always knew that we wanted a classic construction: outsole/midsole/upper.
figure 3a & b. Here's a look at two more shoes in the k1x Chiefglider Rucker series. At top is the Shamrocks edition and directly above is the Rucker Edition. As with the Sundevils version shown in figure 2, only 1,500 pairs of each of these shoes will be produced, so you're not going to see a lot of them.
Prof. K: Chris mentioned that you had designed some other types of shoes for Puma, but I'm guessing this must have been a little different...
Pete: I designed athletic footwear at Puma Europe and U.S. for three years before I got started with k1x. I designed around 30 shoes during this period in various categories, but being responsible for the whole development process as well as the design was an exciting challenge for me.
Prof. K: Was that process what you expected or did you hit some unforseen snags along the way? And about how long did designing and developing the Chiefglider take from start to finish?
Pete: During the design process everything went as expected, but when the design was finished and the developing started I learned new things everyday. At this point I want to give a huge shout-out to Cee H, our Korean technician and developer. Without his tremendous experience in performance footwear I'm sure we would not be talking to you right now. Also, our in-house R&D guys did a great job incorporating unlimited performance in the design. I just got mail from Zach Marbury, who says the Chiefglider is seriously the best and most comfortable shoe he has ever played in. That's a good feeling.
In terms of time, from start to finish it took us around 2 years. Things took time at the beginning because we had so much to put together before we could even get started with the development stage. After receiving the first prototype it still took us one year (a very long year!) to get it on the market.
Prof. K: After having gone through it, do you have any advice for the aspiring shoe designers out there...any lessons learned that you'd like to pass along?
Pete: Work hard, party hard and dedicate everything to what you do.
Prof. K: [Laughs] Good advice! Jumping back to the design of the shoe, did you draw on any other shoes for inspiration? To my eyes there seems to be a bit of an Air Jordan XI influence in the patent leather rand that wraps around the shoe and maybe some old-school adidas in the paneling and the big eyelets at the ankle, but that's just me.
Pete: Basically, I draw inspiration from everything other than shoes...otherwise you start to repeat everything over and over again. But I'm sure you will always find something that reminds you of another shoe in any model because so much has been done already. What we wanted was to create a shoe with excellent performance features, but that would still be wearable off-court with jeans. We weren't copying any old-school shoes, but we wanted to pay respect to the beginnings of hoop-shoe design. And as for the patent leather, besides the shine and the structural strength, it is a great material to get a strong bonding to the midsole.
Prof. K: Now that the Chiefglider been on the market for a little while, is there anything about its design or function that you'd like to tweak?
Pete: Changes about the overall design: none. Changes in performance: not really, since we have a great performer. However, the new colorways will all have improved traction. We also refined the toe-box on all our models. So you see, we don't rest on our laurels!
Prof. K: How about favorite elements, is there anything about the final shoe that surprised you, that ended up better than you had expected?
Pete: To be honest, I didn't expect the overall quality and fit to be that high on our first model. But it seems like it pays off to work with people who know what they're talking about and have the skill and experience to back up the talk.
figure 4. Behold the "Incredible Baller Thonkx." k1x' take on the flip-flop, the Thonkx is available in a variety of colorways and features a different baller silhouette on each footbed. Expect a review later this summer.
Prof. K: Overall, what's the reaction to the shoe been like? We received a lot of positive email about the Chiefglider after we published our review, but since folks in the States can't go out and see the shoe at a store (at least not yet) I haven't been able to guage the level of public acceptance. How's it been in Germany?
Chris: I am really happy with the sales in Germany. We chose very basic colorways because we thought it would take years to sell them all, but after a couple of weeks that fear was gone. Interest in the US is big, we just have to get the shoes to the people. The new colorways will be launched simultaneously in the U.S. and Germany. They'll be on www.kickz.us and kickz.com by the end of July, just like the rest of the stuff we warehouse in the US (check it out, we also have some rare Jordans on there...).
Prof. K: Will there be a follow-up to the Chiefglider any time soon?
Pete: Yes, we will release a special line of hook-ups with the Harlem based Rucker League [Ed. Note: see figures 2 and 3]. We are also introducing our low cut version of the Chiefglider (Whitey Low). and don't forget our Baller Thonkx for hot off-court days.
Prof. K: Will there be a consistent theme to your upcoming products (ala technology for Nike, heritage for adidas, etc.) or will each shoe kind of set its own theme?
Pete: I hope we will be known as the brand that successfully combines performance with exciting design. But within this framework, every shoe can have it's own story...
Prof. K: In general, what do you think about athletic shoe design these days? Are there any shoes that you've been really impressed with recently? Or any design trends that you wish would stop?
Pete: As you described in your review of the Chiefglider, the athletic shoe industry is crazy crowded and as a designer I would love to erase all those who have no love for the game and release poorly designed shoes with a massive marketing attack. What really impresses me though, is how adidas comes up with innovations that truly benefit athletes. They combine fashion and sports with a lot of creativity.
Any design trends that I would like to stop? No, I want more trends to start -- there is much more to explore.
Looking Ahead
Prof. K: What's in store for k1x down the road? Any new developments that you can talk about?
Chris: Hopefully, the Chiefglider will be seen as our biggest shoe for a long time. There is so much potential in the design, which we will carve out over the years. You'll see that the Rucker shoes have a very unique look, even though they all share the same parts. I don't want to rush new shoes into the market everysix months and throw them out on sale straight after. We try not to be too much like "the other guys."
Prof. K: Will you be making a bigger push into the U.S. market any time soon?
Chris: Yes, we will have domestic people to do customer service. Our marketing efforts will also increase and we will roll out some shoes in the NYC area. Our cooperation with Rucker is a powerful start.
Prof. K: Where would you like k1x to be five years from now?
Chris: I hope we'll be a strong basketball specialist who has created a solid following. Rapid growth is not on our agenda, but it would be nice to be selling a couple hundred thousand pairs of shoes by the 2008.
figure 5. Here's a shot of Pete Kreidlmayer (left) and Chris Grosse (right) hard at work on the k1x Chiefglider. Note the two open (and presumably empty) cans of Red Bull to Chris' left. Two cans! You know this meeting must have been intense.
Prof. K: By that time do you think that the NBA will have expanded to Europe or Asia?
Chris: I guess and hope so!
Prof. K: Speaking of which, do you think that the continuing influx of extremely talented European players into the NBA will change the game in the coming years?
Chris: Yes, the Euros will stay around for a while. They are really hungry and are always searching for new angles to improve. In the US, players get pampered too early. In Europe, young players have to fight so hard for every game minute. They play in leagues with professional veterans who defend their spots with all means.
Prof. K: And finally, do you ever see basketball becoming more popular than football (aka soccer) in Europe?
Pete: I don't think so...[Laughs], but for us, it is.
Chris: Nothing can touch football over here, but in the cities b-ball is already BIG. Well, before signing off, thanks for giving us this opportunity here and keep up the good work on Kicksology.net!
Man, it's a regular love fest up in here! Much love to both Chris and Pete for taking the time out to give us a behind the scenes look at the making of the k1x Chiefglider, for sharing your thoughts and uniquely international insights on the industry, and for not pulling any punches in your responses! The bit about the fat guy rolling in his AND 1 sleeveless had me rolling (though I occasionally wear an AND 1 sleeveless I won't take offense). You can bet that a lot of our readers will be watching the evolution of the k1x brand with interest. As for me, I can't wait to get my feet in a pair of the Sundevil Chiefgliders!
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