4 Years. 6 Samples. 60 Pairs.

Mark Strong didn't have a design background. He didn't have a factory connection. He had an idea, a Garrison contest entry, and the kind of stubbornness it takes to actually see something through. Four-plus years later, he's got a shoe. The SV1 "Radici" — 60 pairs, hairy suede uppers, Vibram soles, and laces sourced from the same Tennessee tannery that makes Rawlings baseball glove leather.

We talk about the whole journey: Made in USA dreams that hit a $300/pair wall, a Portugal factory that went dark mid-sample, a pivot back to China, tariff chaos during pre-orders, and indigo-dyed hemp tongues that almost didn't make it into production. Mark also gets into the meaning behind the name — "Radici" means roots in Italian, a nod to his great-grandparents who immigrated from Italy to Brooklyn — and why he embossed Nashville's GPS coordinates right into the shoe.

This is the kind of story that doesn't get told enough. It's not about a big brand drop. It's about one person swimming upstream to make something real, and what that process actually looks like from the inside.

Check out the SV1 "Radici" at saint65.com and follow Mark at @saintsixtyfive on Instagram.

Timestamps:

• 0:00 — Intro & why these stories matter
• 2:51 — Mark introduces himself and how he got into sneakers
• 5:19 — Getting laid off, entering the Garrison contest, and the first design sketches
• 8:53 — Sampling process: Made in USA dreams and a $300/pair reality check
• 10:21 — Portugal factory goes dark mid-sample
• 12:14 — Pivoting to China, pre-orders, and tariff chaos
• 14:29 — What samples actually cost, and why minimums change everything
• 16:03 — Aaron Cooper, the Cars and Kicks Show, and rethinking China's manufacturing reputation
• 19:28 — Transparency, ethics, and trying to get factory photos over WhatsApp
• 21:43 — Why Portugal worked better for a small brand
• 23:50 — The Tennessee tannery, Rawlings baseball glove laces, and why that detail matters
• 27:35 — The sneaker community's fragmentation problem
• 31:23 — The Saint65 name: I-65, New Orleans Saints, and "Remember Your Roots"
• 33:07 — Apparel, embroidery, and the full brand picture
• 35:19 — Opening the box: hairy suede, baseball laces, and the wow factor
• 38:09 — Indigo-dyed hemp tongues and the materials that traveled the world
• 40:04 — The SV1 "Radici" colorway name and the Italian heritage connection
• 41:28 — Vibram soles, the last, and design decisions
• 44:40 — Why 18 months for a shoe actually makes sense
• 47:44 — The gray colorway and what's next for Saint65
• 50:22 — What Mark would do differently
• 54:00 — Why independent brands can't get the same factory access as the big guys
• 57:45 — Wrapping up: where to find Saint65

Subscribe to the Newsletter: https://www.thesneakernewsletter.com

SUPPORT THE SHOW:

Donate Through Venmo: https://venmo.com/u/sneakerhistory

Buy Me A Coffee: https://buymeacoffee.com/nickengvall

Early Access, Exclusive Videos, and Content On Patreon: https://patreon.com/sneakerhistory

If you are interested in advertising to our audience, contact us: podcast@sneakerhistory.com

CHECK OUT OUR OTHER SHOWS:

For the Formula 1 Fans - Exhaust Notes: https://exhaustnotes.fm

For the Fitted Hat Fans - Crown and Stitch: https://crownandstitch.com

For the Cars & Sneakers Fans - Cars & Kicks: https://carsxkicks.com

For the Creators & Creatives - Outside The Box: https://podcasts.apple.com/id/podcast/outside-the-box-convos-with-creators/id1050172106

[Links contain affiliate links; we may receive a small commission if you purchase after clicking a link. A great way to support the pod!]

—––––—––––—––––—––––—––––—––––—––––—––––

Our podcast is proudly...

Recorded on Riverside: http://www.riverside.fm/?via=sneakerhistory

Hosted & Distributed By Captivate: https://bit.ly/3j2muPb

GET IN TOUCH:

Robbie - robbie@sneakerhistory.com

Mike - mike@sneakerhistory.com

Rohit - rohit@sneakerhistory.com

Nick - nick@sneakerhistory.com

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this program are those of the speakers and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of any entities they represent.

This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis:

Spotify Ad Analytics - https://www.spotify.com/us/legal/ad-analytics-privacy-policy/