Brian from Overload told me one day that their contact at New Balance Numeric was encouraging them to submit a proposal for a collaborative shoe. I’ve done a few pitch decks before, including grant applications, attempts to coax free booze from brands for my gallery, and fundraising for events, so I said, “Why don’t I put it together?”

I took my time with it because, if I’m honest, designing a shoe has always been a dream of mine. It mattered that the deck felt right. Years ago, there was a chance to work on something similar for U.P.S., my skate shop back in Sydney, but the timing was rough. We got the offer just before we had to shut the doors for good, so that one got away.

The deck landed well. Brian and I were originally pitching for just a colourway, but NB# came back saying the concept and design were solid enough to support a full-scale collaboration. That was huge. It’s a natural fit for Overload, as they carry both New Balance Numeric skateboarding and New Balance Lifestyle lines. It made sense for me too. I’ve recently started skating in NB# shoes, and they’ve been working out really well.

We got the go-ahead sometime last year, and things started moving from there. We’ve had a couple of virtual meetings with the head designer, as well as an in-person meeting with the design team. It’s been a fascinating process. I’m super pumped on how the shoe is looking so far, and we’re currently waiting on the first round of samples.

The release is set for 2026. We’ll also be working on a video and planning a launch event. Can’t effing wait.

The pitch deck is below with the final shoe design blacked out, you’ll have to wait for that!