Walk a mile in Marc Morisset’s shoes and you’ll learn less is more when it comes to performance footwear.
When the former competitive snowboarder and recreational surfer turned to Crossfit to help keep him in shape, all Morisset wanted were well-designed shoes without the bells and whistles.
The footwear he found was anything but basic.
Morisset conceived Str/ke Mvmnt the same year the 2010 Winter Olympics came to town, testing the no frills footwear with Crossfit athletes on the North Shore.
Str/ke Mvmnt’s philosophy is in its name and employs the concept that a runner’s foot should strike the ground near the front of the foot.
“We saw an opportunity to combine a really clean and wearable esthetic with a technically designed product that would allow you to use the shoe in a broader set of circumstances,” explains Morisset of Str/ke Mvmnt’s origins.
Meaning Str/ke Mvmnt shoes, while they fit the bill when it comes to footwear that will support a super high-intensity style workout that is Crossfit, aren’t specifically designed for that purpose.
“Crossfit was a great place for us to start because it’s so demanding on footwear ... but we’re a modern athletics brand that’s based with a foundation of movement,” says Morisset. “So we’re really making a shoe ... it will lift weight but it’s still great for running. We work with athletes, we work with Parkour people, breakdancers, dancers – we’re making footwear for movement.”
The Str/ke Mvmnt brand screams minimalism. The lightweight and flexible shoes only contain the necessary ingredients for optimal performance: wide forefoot, low heel height and low stack height, which puts the athlete closer to the pavement.
But minimalism doesn’t mean Morisset’s team can’t have fun with colour. Burnt Neon, Chill Pill Coral, Tropical Black and Orange Crush add a punch of colour to Str/ke Mvmnt’s footwear.
Morisset says he believes Crossfit has exploded in popularity because it’s an effective workout and creates a sense of community among the athletes. So can you show up to Crossfit with any old kicks and jump right in?
“You can, but ultimately you want a shoe that has a really low stack height so that you’re close to the ground. And that allows you to feel the ground. You want a shoe that’s going to lift well, run well and allow your foot to do what it does best,” says Morisset.
The simplicity factor can also be found in Str/ke Mvmnt’s line of tank tops, hoodies, hats, shorts, and T-shirts. Each item features clean, uncluttered styling and is made from durable materials.
Str/ke just launched a new apparel and footwear line, Collection 5, which has hit the market in the last few weeks.
“With this particular season we have an expansion into base layers for women,” says Morisset. “We’ve introduced Merino wool apparel offerings.”
Ninety-five per cent of Str/ke’s apparel is made in Vancouver, with the Merino, jersey and fleece fabrics sourced from mills in California and Toronto. On the footwear side, Str/ke has introduced a series of new colours and materials including high density collar foam for a comfortable feel.
The shoes are designed at Str/ke Mvmnt’s new development centre, which opened at Main Street and Mountain Highway on March 3. There’s also a retail space in the front where customers can peruse Str/ke’s products.
“So it was a good opportunity to get back on the Shore where we started,” says Morisset, a North Shore resident, of the recent grand opening.
The shop is located on the grounds of the original Lynnwood Inn in the shadow of the Second Narrows Bridge.
“We actually have this map that’s on our wall that had been hanging in the (Lynnwood) bar for like 40 odd years,” says Morisset. “Somehow the map was able to get off site, while the whole building got torn down and back into this unit (in its original location).”
Str/ke Mvmnt has a flagship in Gastown and locations in San Francisco and Finland.
The shoes and apparel are also available through the company’s website strike-mvmnt.com.
