When it comes to icons of the sneaker world, Jordan Brand isn’t exactly hurting. The Air Jordan 1 is, after all, the shoe that put us on the path to the booming sneaker world we know today. And the styles that followed have become mainstays of the culture as well. The question, though, isn’t what the brand got right in the past—it’s how the company is moving into the future while still respecting those roots.

At least, that’s what I wanted to know when I spoke with Jordan’s VP of Design David Creech this summer in Paris, where the brand was showcasing its fall 2018 collection during fashion week. With so much in the archives, and with fans so dedicated to the OG designs, how does a sneaker company keep things feeling fresh? How do the designers keep the old icons alive while creating new ones for a younger generation?

There are no easy answers to these questions. Luckily, Creech was willing to give it a shot. From embracing Jordan’s female fan base to creating new riffs on the classics, here’s how he’s helping shape the brand’s future.

He recognizes it’s a balancing act.

I think it’s a fine line, but it’s a great opportunity for us. How do we keep stretching for the future? Because in design, we have to be about the future. Make no mistake about it: Because we’re fortunate enough to be the Jordan brand, we have the assets and the icons to really tap into, when we need to. So is there a scripted formula? Probably not. But I think it’s something that we constantly, the designers and the brand, have to keep pushing and moving forward in order to really create for the next generation.

READ MORE: https://www.esquire.com/style/mens-fashion/a22651595/jordan-brand-david-creech-interview/