Between Denim to Dirt
A conversation with Andrew Chen of 3sixteen about the Saucony Peregrine 15 “Gesso” and how the brand's design philosophy shaped a shoe you can run in, custom dye, and make entirely your own.
Intro: Michael Bercasio
Interview: Rob Smith
Photos: Matt Price
Interview: Rob Smith
Photos: Matt Price
Peregrine 15 “Gesso”
Arrives July 17. Online first at 6:00am PDT. Remaining pairs in-store at 10:00am PDT.
The Peregrine 15 “Gesso” is a trail runner, but it's also something more. A collaboration between Saucony and 3sixteen. A runner's shoe with a designer's fingerprint.
Andrew Chen didn't get his start from the running world. He's from Queens, New York. Co-founder of 3sixteen, a menswear brand known for denim that fades slow, fits better with time, and earns its wear the honest way.
This is the brand's first collaboration in the run space. But the philosophy behind it runs deep. With 3sixteen, Andrew and the team built a following by focusing on craft, not cycles. On longevity, not launch dates. You can feel that same mindset here. Hairy suede, raw edges, and room to make it yours. No two pairs will age the same. Leave them as is or dye them with coffee, indigo, whatever fits. The shoe wears in, not out. Just like the denim 3sixteen is known for.
Andrew may come from fashion, but the pace he moves at feels familiar. Intentional. Earned. He's not chasing heat. He's building something to last.
We caught up with him to talk about running, design, and what happens when you treat running products as a starting point, not a finished product.
For those who may not know you or your brand, who is Andrew Chen, and how did 3sixteen begin?
I'm a husband and father of two, living in Queens, NY with our dog Ayla. The brand was started in 2003 as a passion project and creative outlet to work on outside of my day job. We began by making graphic tees and slowly grew it into a full menswear collection.
Denim was the category that we really poured ourselves into and that's probably what most customers know us for today. We currently operate two flagship stores in NY and LA and I run the brand's day to day operations together with my partner, Johan Lam who is based on the West Coast.
Denim was the category that we really poured ourselves into and that's probably what most customers know us for today. We currently operate two flagship stores in NY and LA and I run the brand's day to day operations together with my partner, Johan Lam who is based on the West Coast.
You've built a brand rooted in craftsmanship, durability, and timeless design. What drew you to trail running, and to the Saucony Peregrine 15 specifically, as a canvas for collaboration?
I was actually drawn to trail and the Peregrine 15 specifically for its versatility. I've always been interested in functional outdoor gear, whether it was hunting down ACG clothing or learning about the intricacies of Mountain Hardware jackets.
Knowing that something you own can do anything you throw at it (whether you choose to or not) is a pretty satisfying feeling. Versatility is important to us as a brand, so the shoe we worked on is great for everyday casual wear but you can go rip trails in it or hike in it too.
Knowing that something you own can do anything you throw at it (whether you choose to or not) is a pretty satisfying feeling. Versatility is important to us as a brand, so the shoe we worked on is great for everyday casual wear but you can go rip trails in it or hike in it too.
The Peregrine 15 is a performance trail shoe at its core. How did you approach blending its technical identity with the signature 3sixteen aesthetic?
Our first thing in approaching the project was to make sure that we didn't take away from any of the technical prowess already built into the shoe. Instead, we tried to add aesthetic details that would speak to the language of a 3sixteen customer. Although it may be slightly less breathable, adding hairy suede on the tongue and heel counter gives the shoe depth and calls back to materials we use elsewhere.
Colours and trims selections were made to yield a shoe you would be excited to wear casually and in some cases, like the clear reflective hot melt around the shoe, we added functionality. We saw other brands putting out trail shoes that were widely accepted in a fashion context and we wanted to do the same with ours.
Colours and trims selections were made to yield a shoe you would be excited to wear casually and in some cases, like the clear reflective hot melt around the shoe, we added functionality. We saw other brands putting out trail shoes that were widely accepted in a fashion context and we wanted to do the same with ours.
This project, the Saucony Peregrine 15 “Gesso” brings together two seemingly different worlds: fashion and function, streetwear and trail. Why does that intersection matter to you right now?
I think that this gets to the heart of what we do. We're a fashion brand but along the way these past two decades, we've sought to communicate the passions that help inform our design process. Running is one of those passions, so much so that we started developing a small activewear collection designed with the same sensibilities that we apply to our regular line - just with added tech function. This shoe is meant to straddle that same line. Well before the Gesso launched we were already adding Saucony trail shoes into our seasonal lookbook shoots to try and recontextualize them through our lens. This collaboration is the final realization of that vision.
What does running mean to you personally? How has it influenced your creative work or mindset as a founder?
Running has been a lifeline to me. I started pretty late in life, post 40, and it's become an integral part of maintaining balance, health and focus in the way that it's done for countless others. For me, the best thing it's brought is the opportunity to do something daunting or difficult every time I lace up. We all know that even the easy runs can be hard at times, but if I can get out of my head and crush my workout then the rest of the day's challenges don't feel as heavy.
3sixteen emphasizes longevity and storytelling in the pieces created. What story do you hope the Saucony Peregrine 15 “Gesso” tells for the people who wear it?
I love this question. Most of us look at running shoes as “tools” that accomplish a purpose for us and we just toss them afterward. We don't build attachments to them in the same way that you would a pair of jeans, for instance. Sneakers typically look worse the more they're worn, but in designing this shoe we are hoping for it to show patina in a way that you are actually proud of. And when they get especially cooked, you can always dye them and give them new life.
You've always made products that get better with wear. Do you see any overlap between that idea and what running does for you?
I think that the real test of longevity in either design or construction is time. You have to be consistent, stick to your ideals and values, and be willing to shift if you receive new information or learn how to do something better. Our jeans now are worlds better than our jeans from 2008, but the DNA is still there across them all. Running is similar in that you have to keep showing up for the results to come, and hopefully, the goal is to just keep on doing it over the years. Progress doesn't happen overnight and the journey is often the reward.
3sixteen's been around for 20 years, but this is your first collaboration in the running space. What does that milestone mean for the brand, and what's next?
We're so proud to be able to add to the conversation in some small way, and to be a part of some really great momentum that Saucony, as a brand, is experiencing right now both on the performance and lifestyle end. We'll keep designing activewear and hosting runs whether it's trending or not because it's important to us, but there's undeniable attention around running as a whole right now and hopefully people see that we tried to do it the right way.
Our next project with Saucony is a lifestyle shoe but it's one that lots of people ran in two decades ago so it is running adjacent, I suppose. We have a whole new story to tell with that one and I'm excited to get started on it in the months ahead.
Our next project with Saucony is a lifestyle shoe but it's one that lots of people ran in two decades ago so it is running adjacent, I suppose. We have a whole new story to tell with that one and I'm excited to get started on it in the months ahead.
Peregrine 15 “Gesso”
Arrives July 17. Online first at 6:00am PDT. Remaining pairs in-store at 10:00am PDT.