Mike runs a solo Coffee Time Kicks episode and sits down with a friend of the show, Jason Faustino, Senior Director of Energy at Saucony. Fresh off the brand's Paris preview, Jason breaks down how Saucony builds its creative world: why knowing exactly who you are beats chasing anyone else, how collaborations really get vetted (it comes down to chemistry and gut), and how a small team stays two years out on product while making it look effortless.

They get into the Westside Gun partnership and the passing of the torch from Jae Tips, why Jason sees himself as working for the artists as much as the brand, the Ride 1 revival, the slow-burn rise of the Guide 7, and a Crystal Caves colorway coming back on the Triumph 4. If you want to understand what makes Saucony tick right now, this is the one.

In this episode:

• Why Saucony leans all the way into its own identity
• How collabs actually get vetted, and why it comes down to a feeling
• The Westside Gun and Jae Tips story
• Protecting artistic freedom inside a corporate structure
• The two-years-out product development timeline
• Ride 1, Guide 7, Omni 9, and the Crystal Caves Triumph 4
• Why in-person community still beats the transactional stuff

Follow Jason on Instagram @um.jf13. Saucony at saucony.com.

Subscribe to the Sneaker History Podcast and drop your favorite Saucony in the comments so we know you made it to the end.

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