DVS - youlikewelike

youlikewelike

“There are lots of fashion companies involved with skateboarding without our heritage or credibility,” according to Tim Gavin, co-founder of DVS shoes. “It definitely helps if you’ve been there as a professional.”

The Californian DVS Shoe Company produces a range of footwear and clothing for the skateboarding and extreme sports community. “Skateboarding professionally inspired me to start DVS with Kevin,” points out Gavin, who founded the brand in 1995 with Kevin Dunlop. “It was something I’d been thinking about doing for ages whilst riding for other peoples’ companies. Our mission is to make the best skate shoes possible.”

Many people have been inspired to start a clothing line on the back of the sport they love, and many have also failed because of the business challenges involved. Not so DVS, which has already passed its first decade of operation. So what’s their secret?

“It was a big deal to reach that mark, as it’s not easy starting a business, let alone keeping it afloat. There are continual challenges,” says Gavin. “We try to provide customers with the best possible products and service, and we’ll continue to accept that mission. It’s a collective effort so there are a lot of people involved. We’re a big family who all make the wheels turn.”

Skateboarders as notoriously selective about their shoes and clothing, so DVS have carefully selected an impressive range, utilising various designs, styles and colours. The DVS shoes are also durable and solid, for the inevitable trials users will put them through, though everything is ultimately inspired by a love of skating.

“We’ve worked in the past with photographers, including a series with Gabe Morford, Mike O’Meally, Ben Colen, Giovanni Reda and Atiba Jefferson. We produced a limited shoe with each of them incorporating their best photos,” says Gavin.

In addition DVS enjoy extra credibility by operating their very own skateboard team, and has expanded to moto (car racing), surf, snowboard and wake-boarding teams.

“We get performance feedback, mainly from the skaters. We always listen to what the team riders are saying; what they like and what they dislike. It’s a great and simple formula to develop skateboarding shoes. They’re the guys that set the trend for the kids buying the shoes so they must look good and perform well.”

DVS has also branched out into DVS Girls and even a fashion/lifestyle brand, DVS Luxe. However, according to Gavin, “DVS will always be a skateboard shoe company. We’ll continue to accept the challenges that inspire all of us daily. We want to provide the best products, marketing and customer service to all of our loyal consumers worldwide. That’s our lifelong plan.”