WIFI Grantees Gain Technical Skills at Performance Footwear Workshop

Two Ten’s WIFI Grant program continues to empower women in the footwear industry by providing access to valuable professional development opportunities. 

Last week, we heard from two female entrepreneurs who used WIFI grants to attend the “Professional Development on Performance Footwear” workshop, hosted by Arsutoria School in partnership with the University of Oregon’s Sports Product Management program. Held in Portland, Oregon, the intensive, week-long workshop offered a comprehensive exploration of the design, construction, and manufacturing processes behind performance footwear. 

Jilleen Liao, a freelance footwear designer and consultant based in Brooklyn, NY, attended the workshop and said that while she had a strong background working in factories and board lasting, the course taught her more about slip lasting construction. She even used a Strobel machine to put together a shoe for the first time, which she found particularly rewarding. 

“Not only did we do expansive deep dives into the evolving aspects and considerations of contemporary technical footwear tooling processes, but we also gained tremendous insight into the engineering side of more advanced co-molding sole development.” said Liao. 

She added that her favorite part of the workshop was “being surrounded by a community of fellow footwear people who are just as curious and passionate about what’s possible.” 

Sarah Sukumaran, founder and CEO of her own performance shoe brand, Lilith NYC, also attended the course and appreciated its technical focus, which she said helped her expand her skills in design. 

“I particularly enjoyed the sessions around upper construction, midsole materials, and the molding process, as our focus at Lilith is to introduce technical performance tooling to lifestyle footwear,” Sukumaran said. “I really appreciated how the instructors were such experts in their fields and that the workshop offered a balance of technical lectures alongside hands on shoe-making experience.” 

Sukumaran added that the course gave her the right tools and language to communicate with her manufacturing partners. 

 “Having completed the course now, I definitely feel more equipped to have constructive conversations with our designers and factory partners as we iterate our product offerings,” she said. “Thank you, Two Ten, for your continued support and investment in women within the footwear industry!” 

Learn more about the WIFI Grant program 

Download an info sheet about the program 

Know someone who might benefit from this program? Nominate a colleague for a WIFI Grant