Rowan Baird · Edaire to Wear

Summer Shoe Industry Immersion

A structured plan to fill the footwear Knowledge Graph gap — from hands-on making to supply chain to relationship building.

⭐ North Star

By August 31, I can answer: "How does a shoe go from idea to foot?"

Not theoretically. Physically. I want to have touched the materials, met the people in the supply chain, and produced at least one prototype or sample. That knowledge becomes the unfair advantage behind Edaire to Wear.

🧭 Why This Path?

The equestrian and dance worlds gave you deep human insight into what footwear needs to do. Your materials science background tells you what it can do. The missing piece is the production and business knowledge — the gap between the two. This summer closes that gap through immersion, not classroom.


You are not going to Spain to intern. You are going to build your Knowledge Graph — the people, the supply chain, the craft, and the market — so that when you return in the fall, Edaire to Wear has a real foundation.

🗓 Summer Timeline (May – August)

May
Pre-Departure
Research + Connect
  • Confirm Impact Hub location (Madrid or Barcelona)
  • Connect with Mario's niece — get her shoe strategy brief
  • Reach out to Buddy Teaster (Soles4Souls, Nashville) via Mario
  • Apply to FABB Sustainable Fashion Accelerator (Barcelona Impact Hub)
  • Research University of Oregon SPM faculty — identify 3 people to cold email
  • Build a list of 10 target contacts in Spain (factories, designers, academics)
  • Register for MOMAD (Madrid, Feb 5–7) if dates align OR identify next relevant tradeshow
June
Weeks 1–4
Ground-Level Immersion
  • Set up base at Impact Hub (Madrid or Barcelona)
  • Take a hands-on shoemaking course (Shoemakers Academy online or local atelier)
  • Visit 2–3 Spanish shoe factories or ateliers (Elda/Elche region is the heart of Spanish shoe manufacturing)
  • Attend any local fashion/design events through Impact Hub network
  • Begin drafting: What problems exist in equestrian and dance footwear that no one is solving?
July
Weeks 5–8
Build + Validate
  • Complete 1 physical prototype or sample (even rough)
  • Conduct 10 customer discovery conversations (riders, dancers, coaches)
  • Draft Edaire to Wear business plan outline
  • Identify a potential manufacturing partner or production contact
  • Attend Global Fashion Management Conference in Madrid (July 16–19)
August
Weeks 9–12
Synthesize + Package
  • Complete competitive and market analysis (written)
  • Write a "production understanding" brief — how shoes are actually made, at cost
  • Finalize contact list with warm intros secured
  • Build 1-pager: Edaire to Wear concept, validated by real conversations
  • Debrief with coach, Buddy Teaster, and Mario's niece before returning

📦 Physical Outcomes by August 31

Document 1

Business Plan Draft
Edaire to Wear: concept, market, model

Document 2

Market + Competitive Analysis
Equestrian + dance footwear landscape

Document 3

Production Brief
Cost, supply chain, manufacturing realities

Artifact

1 Physical Prototype
Even rough — proof of concept

Network

10+ Warm Contacts
In manufacturing, design, or retail

Validation

10 Customer Conversations
Riders and dancers on footwear pain points

🤝 Priority Relationship Map

Contact Who Goal for Relationship How to Get There
Mario's Niece Shoe Industry Insider Strategic orientation. What does she know that would take you 2 years to learn? Ask Mario for intro ASAP. Lunch or Zoom before May.
Buddy Teaster CEO, Soles4Souls (Nashville) Understand the global shoe supply chain and surplus ecosystem. His network is deep. Warm intro via Mario. Frame as "learning about the industry," not a pitch.
Impact Hub Leader Female Leader, Madrid or Barcelona Local network gateway. She knows who to introduce you to in the fashion ecosystem. Email Impact Hub before arriving. Ask for a 30-min orientation call.
Oregon SPM Faculty John Eberle / Krista Martenson Curriculum insight. Could they point you toward resources, factories, or contacts in Spain? Cold LinkedIn outreach. Reference the program's Nike/global network.
Spanish Factory Contact Elda/Elche Region, Spain Hands-on production understanding. How does a shoe actually get made? Research through FICE (Spanish Footwear Industry Federation) or Impact Hub referral.

📍 Madrid vs. Barcelona: The Decision Framework

Barcelona → Choose if:

Madrid → Choose if:


Lean: Barcelona first. FABB + design culture + GFMC day trip = maximum density of relevant exposure.

⚠️ Assumptions to Test Before You Go

🗺 Conference + Tradeshow Radar

Event Date Location Relevance
Global Fashion Management Conference Jul 16–19, 2026 Madrid ⭐⭐⭐ AI + Fashion + Management. Perfect timing.
Sustainable Apparel Conference Europe Apr 29–30, 2026 Amsterdam ⭐⭐ Supply chain + circularity. Pre-departure if schedule allows.
MICAM Milano Feb 22–24, 2026 Milan ⭐⭐⭐ World's top footwear fair. Consider if pre-summer travel possible.
White Milano Jun 20–22, 2026 Milan ⭐⭐ Contemporary + avant-garde footwear. During summer, easy from Spain.
ISPO Amsterdam Nov 3–5, 2026 Amsterdam ⭐⭐⭐ Sporting goods + performance footwear. Target for fall return.
CIFF Copenhagen Aug 3–5, 2026 Copenhagen ⭐⭐ Sustainable + minimalist footwear. End of summer, strong finish.
✅ What Does Success Look Like?

You return in September able to say: