Sneakers have transcended their humble beginnings as practical athletic footwear to become cultural icons and objects of desire. But sneakers tell the story of visionaries who took a pair of rubber-soled, fabric uppers and saw something the masses could get behind.
An Innovative and Creative Sneaker Industry
At Venice, California’s No.One studio, Mark Gainor is scripting a new chapter of sneaker history. This is an independent luxury and bespoke sneaker brand that is proof that the appeal of the sneaker will never die and that there still is hope for reinvention within the industry. As a footwear industry vet, Gainor has built a space where Old World cobbling techniques and New World sensibility have collided to make something befitting of its name: an Old-World product, meeting modern ambitiousness, yielding sneakers that are not only footwear but wearable art.
No.One studio is a creative craft hub and a pair of sneakers is never mass-produced, but made by hand. For Gainor, sneaker design is very personal, beginning with an archetype or a familiar image that fuels inspiration. He experiments with materials and sketches from there, bringing his vision to what is so physically palpable. What makes the studio particularly noteworthy is its bespoke program, which provides a personalized experience common in today’s mass-produced world. But it’s truly modern in its execution, as it hearkens back to a day of custom tailoring.
Gainor’s commitment to quality over quantity is a refreshing departure from the industry’s obsession with the latest trends. His designs are longevity and essentialism-focused, working on specific ideas to create sneakers that will stick around for the long haul. This philosophy is extended to the way the brand works its business model, which doesn’t rely on the aforementioned fashion calendar and takes on a more sustainable approach to releases and production. The move is bold and breaks the mold; it goes to a growing consumer desire for earnest and authentic products.
Let’s Dive Deep Into the Heart of No.One Studio
In there, it’s not just a business of bespoke sneakers, but a passion that reimagines luxury footwear. The studio exists in Venice, California—in a wondrous place that is the beacon of where creativity and craftsmanship are topped with the sneaker, elevated into personal expression. The mastermind behind No.One, Mark Gainor has built a place that is as much about the artistry of shoes as it is about shoes themselves.
Gainor’s experience with bespoke sneakers started in his role as creative director at Native Shoes. Contrasted with the intimate sample rooms where the essence of shoe creation took place was the awe-inspiring capabilities of large factories in China to produce vast quantities of footwear. In these rooms, Gainor glimpsed his purpose: How a concept could be turned into a physical product in hours. As he says, it was ‘super addictive.’
The sample room and production facilities at No.One is one and the same, a decision made to provide an unbroken run from design to finish. In an industry that often gets berated for its lack of care for creativity and originality, the studio is a testament to Gainor’s faith in them. To him, No.One is a direct correlation to these shortcomings: here they value creativity, and it’s the core of everything they do.
The way a No.One sneaker is created is no less meticulous: starting from an archetype or familiar image it inspires. Gainor’s design approach is hands-on, with a physically interactive relationship with material and a sketching process to communicate his visions. Everything that comes out of the studio is focused on essential designs with longevity. The paracord is more than just a shoelace — it’s an emblem of how materials are opened up to the endless number of uses a creative mind in a place like Gainor’s can come up with.
Gainor’s Focus on Quality Has Led to A Unique Fashion Calendar
No.One sells frequently limited-edition products and has a very strong bespoke program, which represents about 40 percent of the business today. The studio’s repeat customers are also reflected in its success as a business model.
No.One’s clientele is as wide-ranging as the sneakers themselves with people from all walks of life attending. Gainor says he can be proud that no algorithm could profile his customers; they are bound not by demographics but by their ability to appreciate the unique and the handcrafted. For No.One, Gainor sees a launchpad in the future, one that will grow while remaining true to the studio itself, including strengthening the sales and marketing team and turning the current studio space into a storefront for the customers.
Bespoke sneaker creation at No.One is an original dance, where there is no separation between tradition and innovation. The process is based on the art of cobbling, old-fashioned as it is, but it takes place in the airy modern space of the studio. Diego is a patternmaker; others cut and assemble the leather by hand. Meanwhile, the shoes take their final shape in the California sun and the soles are sewn in. But the detail and the luxury price point tell us that the studio is all about creating not only shoes but wearable art.
Gainor’s Vision for No.One Is to Provide a Unique Experience
The bespoke side of the business was something he was particularly proud of, as it’s strongly informed by the studio’s personal nature and handcrafted work. To Gainor, No.One is a brand, but it’s also a statement on the value of creativity and of the personal touch in a world where both are so easily forgotten.
As we close out our coverage of No.One Studio, it becomes apparent that a sneaker is much more than just a pair of shoes — it’s a blank slate, a statement piece about one’s creativity, and a reminder of the power of the entrepreneurial spirit. No.One’s Mark Gainor and his team are not only making sneakers, they’re telling stories — one pair at a time.
