Brian Beckstead on product design
From Altra Co-Founder Brian Beckstead on Brand Building and the All-New AltraFWD Experience · · BelieveintheRun
“Our shoes have more space in the toe box, and we’re modernizing the design language with better colors and aesthetics. We’ve made mistakes, but we’ve continually improved, and I believe next year will be our best yet in quality and innovation.”
On , Brian Beckstead, Founder & Chief Marketing Officer at VF Corp, spoke about product design during Altra Co-Founder Brian Beckstead on Brand Building and the All-New AltraFWD Experience on BelieveintheRun.
About Brian Beckstead
Brian Beckstead, co-founder of Altra, discussed the brand's history and direction in two interviews. In a 2023 interview, he described the company's founding in Orem, Utah, with Golden Harper and Jeremy Howe, and noted that he began working in a running store at age 16. He stated that the company's purpose after being acquired by VF Corporation was "unleashing human potential and inspiring the world to move naturally." Beckstead addressed the introduction of the 4 mm drop AltraFWD Experience, saying the brand had received consumer requests for a drop shoe for ten years and that the new line was a response to that demand. He said the company remained committed to its foot-shaped toe box and zero drop design, and that the 4 mm drop line would be a small, complementary addition. In a 2020 interview, Beckstead said that VF acquired Altra "because we're awesome, not because we suck" and that the partnership would improve operational aspects like factories, quality, and fulfillment. He noted that the company coined the term "zero drop" and was beginning to use "balanced cushioning" as an alternative descriptor. Beckstead described the founding process as a "toaster-oven, bandsaw, hack-the-heel kind of experiment" and said the brand's shoes were designed with biomechanics and health in mind. He stated that most Altra shoes were made to last three to five hundred miles.