K-Swiss and Diplo Unveil Details for 'The Board' Initiative

Following the grand announcement of “The Board” last month, K-Swiss has now unveiled more information regarding its newest initiative. Led by Grammy-nominated DJ and producer Diplo, the campaign seeks to inspire the next generation of young entrepreneurs, while simultaneously preparing the candidates for any future business endeavors. Diplo will serve as the director of a board consisting of 100 creative and connected people, guiding them through a six-course curriculum. Coordinated by model-turned-blogger Natalie Suarez, the sessions will be hosted on a exclusive web platform and will give members a unique opportunity in gaining insider expertise from some of the best in the business.

The reputable individuals include Scott Sasso of leading streetwear brand 10 Deep, who will be teaching a course on brand positioning; the founders of fair-trade beverage company Runa, informing the importance of a socially responsible company; multi-faceted streetculture icon jeffstaple, who will be leading a session on sneaker design; Rachael Wang from Style.com, teaching the group how to position and market product through lookbooks; popular social media personality Josh “The Fat Jew” Ostrovsky of @thefatjewish Instagram and @FatJew Twitter, sharing insight how to build a strong social media presence for emerging brands; and Sharmadean Reid from WAH Nails, instructing the procedure of creating a business plan.

Each of the six phases will aid bringing the K-Swiss brand back to prominence, including the creation of a new K-Swiss tagline, three new sneaker designs, creating a set of lookbooks, and taking over its social media. The best creations will also be rewarded, such as an expensed trip to one of Diplo’s massive Mad Decent Block Party dates with a chance to meet the musician in person. Also, the board members who design the best shoe sample will have their model sold globally by K-Swiss and receive royalties from each sale.

At the conclusion of the project, the most promising applicant will be selected for a six-month mentorship with the American footwear company. For more information on how to apply, visit The Board.