With a decade of immersion in the design realm, Cesar Idrobo, brings a wealth of expertise to the table. His journey is marked by a unique fusion of industrial design acumen and a deep understanding of footwear and apparel manufacturing process.
Throughout his career, Cesar has worked with industry giants, such as YEEZY, Adidas, Nike, Puma, and SKIMS, among others. these experiences have provided him invaluable insights and opportunities to push the boundaries of creativity.
Profile picture by Alexa Jade

Hi Cesar! Thank you for sitting down with me! First question that I always ask. How does a regular day look like for you in Los Angeles?
Living is very different from visiting. Since I live here, I tried to avoid traffic and $10 lattes. Just kidding! Usually, I have a meeting or two during the week in the downtown area or visiting a supplier. I try to work from home as much as I can and be back by 4pm to avoid rush hour, so that’s how I plan my days. I wish I had more freedom to roam around LA.

I’m curious. Growing up, what kind of kid were you? What did you enjoy doing, and how did you spend your time?
I was a curious kid. I had a fun childhood. I used to travel twice a year within my country which is why I enjoy being on the go. I spent a lot of time drawing, doing crafts, doing science experiments and playing with legos.
When you were 17 you moved from Colombia to America, to study. What was your initial reaction to arriving in the states? And what was that transition like?
I was expecting it to be like the American movies, but little did I know that most movies were filmed in Hollywood. When I came to the States, I came to FL and it was nothing like what I had watched on tv. There was definitely a difference between visiting as a tourist and living because you have no responsibilities coming for vacation, but when you live here now you have to work to make ends meet.

So when did you start showing an interest in design? And what programs are you currently using?
From a very early age I had an attraction and appreciation towards aesthetics, but now that I have technical knowledge, I look at things through a different lense. I’m only using my ipad to design.
With that in mind, what is it about sneaker design in particular that resonates with you?
I love the cultural relevance behind it and how shoes have become objects of desire. I enjoy the creation process from taking something that is on your mind to a two dimensional realm then translating that into a real tangible form. It’s functional art. I’m happy that I can do every step of the process all by myself.

Please correct me if I’m wrong, but around 2015, you attend a six-month apprenticeship with master shoemaker Marcell Mrsan, what was that experience like?
It was amazing because he had taught me most of the courses I took in graduate school, so it felt like riding your favorite roller coaster twice. I’m grateful that I had the experience to further my knowledge in shoe making.

And shortly after that you start on your first full-time job as a footwear innovation designer for adidas YEEZY. How did that come about?
A recruiter from adidas HR reached out to me on instagram to see if I was interested in interviewing for a footwear developer role at adidas yeezy. I happened to be traveling to Portland for an interview with Nike so I expressed that if we could arrange a meeting that would be great. He said yes and when I came to Portland, I met with the adidas YEEZY team and the rest is history.

You spent 5 years working with Kanye West and Steven Smith. What was that experience like? And any what are some of the most valuable lessons you’ve learned?
Once in a lifetime opportunity that I’m grateful I was chosen to experience. It was liberating to be exposed to what true creativity feels like. The most valuable lessons I learned was to be resourceful, confident and honest with myself and my team. As simple as it sounds, these are three characteristics that are hard to find in a creative nowadays.

What’s your general take on the footwear industry?
It’s stuck in limbo. A lot of brands are going through an identity crisis and there is a lack of technical knowledge when it comes to knowing how to make shoes which hinders the creative process.
With that in mind. How would you reimagine the footwear industry? Anything you would like to see done differently?
I would mandate at every company that if you want to work on footwear you must first learn how to make shoes.

Where do you see the industry heading in the next 5 years?
Hopefully to a better place where brands are willing to take more chances on young talent as well as young talent deciding to start the next big thing.
In on of your other interview you talk about manipulation of the manufacturing process. Can you tell me about that?
Working closely with suppliers and factories that are willing to accommodate requests to explore ways of making shoes differently to achieve new aesthetics.

I know that you work as a consultant, advising companies on footwear design. What made you want to take a more advisory role?
To avoid company politics and bureaucracy. I just want to make cool products and leave. Onto the next one, you know.

Last year you collaborated with eBay, how did that come about?
eBay was opening their authentication center in Australia, and they wanted to be perceived as the ultimate sneaker shopping site so they launched an event called “Museum of Authentics”. The goal was to showcase unique and rare sneaker icons that could be found only on eBay. So the team invited me to be a part of this initiative and they commissioned me to make a pair of samples made by me. I was flown to Australia to be a special guest for the event to show the work I’ve made for them as well as connect with the Australian sneaker community. I really enjoyed this project because it was my first partnership and the eBay team was willing to do whatever it took to make this collaboration a success. Would love to do something with them again.

Can you walk me through your creative process from beginning to end result?
Very simple. I get an idea and I make it. Nothing else in between: raw creation.
What motivates and inspires you?
Human ingenuity.
How do you deal with creative blocks?
Walks or reading a book.

How would you describe a perfect day?
Good sleep the night before, breakfast, 4 hours of solid work, quality time with the family and some light reading.
Who do you look up to and why?
Ayrton Senna. His work ethic and achievements are unbelievable and I would like to reach that level of discipline.

Alright Cesar. I always ask these two questions at the end of an interview. The first is. What’s your favorite movie(s) and why?
Toy Story 3. I love that every time I watch it, I get something new out of it. This is my favorite movie because the movie plot is a perfect resemblance of life. The things that seemed a “good idea” at the moment turn out to be it wasn’t actually a good idea, we suffer, but at the end we figure out how to get through the tough times and all is well.
The second is. What song(s) are you currently listening to the most right now?
Yeah Yeah Yeahs – Heads Will Roll