Whom You Know: MOVERS AND SHAKERS: Shane Ward, Creative Director/Co-Founder of SHANE&SHAWN

Thursday, March 12, 2009

MOVERS AND SHAKERS: Shane Ward, Creative Director/Co-Founder of SHANE&SHAWN

Born five minutes before his identical twin brother, Shawn, Shane Ward found his place among seven brothers and sisters as an energetic, driven youth who admired his hard-working, single mother. Always an A-student, Shane’s dreams of playing professional football were only eclipsed by his aptitude for drawing and design. A four-year scholarship to the University of Michigan afforded Shane the opportunity to refine his creative abilities by obtaining a Bachelor of Industrial Design degree, while enriching his college experience as a player on the football team and as a member of the Omega Psi Phi fraternity.

After two consecutive internships with General Motors, Shane changed the course of his career by accepting a position with Adidas. Traveling the world and creating shoes for top athletes and celebrities concreted Shane’s ambitions to design footwear. After moving on to design for AND1, he decided to make another change, and took his career into his own hands; a newly unemployed footwear designer, Shane arrived in New York City and partnered up with his most trusted ally: his twin brother, Shawn. Together they launched their own design consultancy, SW2DESIGN.

Within one year, SW2DESIGN became one of the most sought-after freelance design consultancies in the footwear industry, designing shoes for AND1, Puma, Fila, Royal Elastics, Merrell, Airwalk, Converse, Lugz, and Wolverine boots, to name a few. With the success of SW2DESIGN, the brothers transitioned into creating a footwear brand of their own. The line called Detny is inspired by the lifestyle of jet-setting individuals who demand style with uncompromised fit and function. Both men’s and women’s collections launched in Fall 2003.

As Co-Founder and Creative Director, Shane Ward overseas all design and sourcing for Detny by SHANE&SHAWN. Peachy Deegan chatted with Shane recently!

Peachy Deegan: What do you like most about being a design consultant?
Shane Ward: BEING ABLE TO PROVIDE A FRESH PERSPECTIVE TO A BRANDS COLLECTION

What projects are the most challenging to work on and why?
KIDS. BECAUSE USUALLY THEY ARE BASICALLY A TAKE-DOWN OF THE ADULT DESIGN, SO IT GETS A BIT BORING.

What is the best thing about working with your twin?
EVERYTHING. YOU HAVE SOMEONE THAT IS THE YING TO YOUR YANG. WE COMPLIMENT EACH OTHER IN EVERY WAY. PLUS, YOU UNDERSTAND THAT THERE ARE NO UNDERLYING MOTIVES WITH YOUR PARTNER.

Are your feet your favorite part of the body?
NO. THE LIPS!!

What is your favorite kind of dress shoe?
PLATFORMED STILETTOS FOR WOMEN, AND LOAFERS FOR MEN

What would most people not realize about being a shoe designer?
IT ISN'T THAT GLAMOROUS!!!

What is your favorite place to be in NYC?
OUR STORE.

What is your favorite shop?
BESIDES OUR SHANE&SHAWN STORE, IT WOULD HAVE TO BE BARNEYS CO-OP!!

What is your favorite drink?
JACK IN A FLASK!!

What is your favorite restaurant?
SOHO HOUSE RESTAURANT. THEN NOBU.

What is your favorite NYC book?
THE STORY OF CALVIN KLEIN.

What is your favorite thing to do in NYC that you can do nowhere else?
PARTY IN THE HAMPTONS DURING THE DAY, AND PARTY IN THE CITY AT NIGHT .

What do you think is most underrated and overrated here?
UNDERRATED IS THE LOWER EAST SIDE BYOB RESTAURANTS. OVERRATED ARE SOME OF THE MORE WELL KNOWN RESTAURANTS.

What else should Whom You Know readers know about you?
WE ALSO MAKE BAGS FOR MEN AND WOMEN THAT, LIKE OUR SHOES, ARE BOTH FASHIONABLE AND FUNCTIONAL.

How would you like to be contacted by Whom You Know readers?
design@shaneandshawn.com

Recent Testimonials by Brand Ambassadors on their Experience with Whom You Know

"I work with Peachy Deegan because she's prolific at what she does. She's a hard worker, she's thoughtful and she's tasteful at what she writes which is very important. Peachy gets the facts correct, and just that alone is worth its weight in gold."

-Edward Tricomi, Master Stylist and Owner of Warren-Tricomi
https://warrentricomi.com/

"No one has yet to express their taste for our cuisine better than Peachy Deegan on Whom You Know. Thank you for transforming our flavor into words, unlike any other before.
Sometimes WHOM YOU KNOW, really makes a difference and Ammos Estiatorio is grateful to know Peachy Deegan!"
-
Dimitris Nakos, Founder and Owner of
Ammos Estiatorio
https://ammosnewyork.com/

“Whom You Know has done an amazing job of featuring our company over many years [seven]. Peachy has worked tirelessly to create a well-curated selection of topics and brands that are clearly of relevance to her growing audience of readers. Her articles are filled with great insights based on first-hand experience. She does her research, knows her business and is a pleasure to work with!”

-David Sasuga, Owner of Fresh Origins Microgreens
www.FreshOrigins.com

"Peachy Deegan has the pulse of the nation and highlights exceptional opinion leaders in more than 23,000 inspiring and entertaining posts. Her 100,000 twitter followers are a true testimony to Peachy’s ability to inspire, motivate and entertain. She is a feminine force to be reckoned with and an exemplary example of an influential voice in today’s world."

-Mica Mosbacher, author of the new book The Hurricane Factor: Stormside Patriots and tv political commentator

"It was an honour to be chosen for Movers and Shakers by Peachy Deegan. The questions in the interview were intelligent and insightful and I thoroughly enjoyed answering them. The reaction to the interview has been overwhelmingly positive and has helped bring my art practice to a wider audience."
-Damien Flood, Internationally Acclaimed Artist
http://www.damienflood.ie/

"We were so fortunate to hit Peachy’s radar. Her review of our Warmies was spot-on and came at a great time in our company’s early history.
Peachy has such a strong relationship with her readers. She provides honest and real comments; she is truly a trusted source in a very large circle
of consumers."
-Scott Wehrs
President
Intelex U.S.A.
http://www.intelexusallc.com/

"We at Primola love working with Whom You Know and are proud to have been a highly-ranked Manhattan restaurant by Peachy Deegan since 2012, and are featured seasonally. We appreciate the fantastic work Peachy does highlighting our cuisine with her sublime writing style and the whole neighborhood of the Upper East side. Also, we are glad that she has started a Made in Italy column! If you have the opportunity to be considered for review, we'd highly recommend working with her."
-Giuliano Zuliani, Owner of Primola Restaurant
https://www.facebook.com/Primola-Canaletto-restaurants-NYC-135616799831091

"
Peachy Deegan is a gem. She is wonderful to feature our Irish brands in 'Whom You Know'! The articles are beautifully and passionately presented, bringing products and brands to life, making both relevant and fun for her many faithful followers to read. I am immensely proud for our hand-crafted products to be included in this venue!"

-
Bill Follett
President, Belleek Group North America
www.Belleek.com

"As you know from my past features, Peachy Deegan and I were in the same class at Boston College prior to either of us becoming entrepreneurs. When we played together on the BC Alumni softball team in Central Park years ago, she mentioned she could not find a great dentist in Manhattan and could often be found networking on her phone in the outfield hiding from the ball. She was my second patient ever in 2006 when I opened my dental practice; I was one of the first sponsors on Whom You Know and the first Mover and Shaker featured in 2009 and have worked with her continuously since. She's even talked her friends that are doctors into being my patients, and they subsequently send their hospital colleagues. I don't know anyone that is as great of a networker and writer as Peachy, nevermind that she is upstanding and always good for her word. Cosmopolitan Dental is so happy to be in the company of the caliber of major brands she works with today, and although she will tell you a million ways to get your teeth dirty between Peachy's Picks, Terrific Takeout and Peachy's Pantry, Peachy Deegan will tell you there is only one way to get your teeth clean!"
-Dr. Garo Nazarian, Founder and Owner of Cosmopolitan Dental
http://cosmopolitandental.com/