Before moving into CPG and creative direction, I spent over eight years designing footwear at Reef, immersed in a brand deeply rooted in surf culture, freedom, and life lived between land and sea.

Reef’s brand story has always been about more than sandals—it’s about escaping the everyday, embracing a laid-back mindset, and designing products that support a spontaneous, active lifestyle. Born in Southern California and shaped by global surf culture, Reef sits at the intersection of performance, lifestyle, and irreverent fun. The brand doesn’t chase trends; it reflects how its consumers actually live—barefoot when possible, board under arm, beer in hand, and always ready for whatever comes next.

I was part of the core team that created the Fanning Sandal, one of Reef’s most iconic and best-selling products. The built-in bottle opener in the outsole wasn’t a gimmick—it was a piece of storytelling embedded directly into the product, perfectly aligned with the brand’s beach-first, post-surf mentality. Paired with real performance features—support, durability, and comfort—the design struck a chord with consumers and became a defining symbol of Reef’s personality: clever, functional, and unapologetically fun.

Beyond individual products, I led seasonal footwear collections from concept through production, managing line plans that balanced innovation with commercial reality. My role required constant collaboration with development and sourcing teams, navigating factory constraints, materials, costing, and timelines while protecting design intent. I also traveled extensively for trade shows, retail meetings, and market research, staying closely connected to both the action sports community and the evolving needs of our customers.

The pace was fast, the expectations high, and the feedback immediate—but that environment shaped how I still work today. Reef taught me the importance of grounded design: listening first, solving real problems, respecting the realities of production, and never losing sight of the consumer. It was a brand built on authenticity and joy, and the lessons from that chapter continue to influence how I approach storytelling, product creation, and creative leadership across every category I’ve worked in since.

2005 SIMA Image Awards Winner Product Innovation of the Year Reef "Mick Fanning" Sandal.

Design Manager: Andrew Wickstrom

Design Director: John Eades

Developer: Joel Barrie