Unless you’re heavily into the running community, you may not have heard of Minted NY until this year. Founded by brothers Marcus and Shawn Milione in 2021, the duo has utilized social media platforms like TikTok to grow the brand and garner feedback from the community they look to serve. When it comes to their presence in the sneaker world, they’ve only just begun to make an impact, as Minted’s debut footwear project came from Saucony back in May of this year.
For the brand’s first sneaker with Saucony, they chose the retro-performance ProGrid Triumph 4, which played well into the current trend of techy mesh runners. The project was a resounding success, selling out instantly online via the brand’s site and the in-person pop-up in NYC.
Minted NY is following up on this more lifestyle-oriented project with a collaboration on a true performance runner—the Saucony Endorphin Speed 4. In the lead-up to a pop-up event that will launch the shoes on November 1 and the online release on November 7, Sole Retriever interviewed Marcus and Shawn via email, who gave us insights into the design details of the shoe and how it is to work with Saucony.
Minted NY has grown into a unique lifestyle brand. Marcus, you’ve spoken about launching the brand during the pandemic, driven by a desire for creativity after your career in finance. What were some of the earliest challenges you faced while transitioning from finance to fashion, and how did that experience shape your vision for Minted NY?
The biggest hurdle—or perhaps a blessing—was having no formal background in the industry, which meant diving straight into the deep end. This forced me to learn as I went, but it also freed me from overthinking about doing things the “right way.” One of the specific challenges I encountered was supply chain and logistics, surprisingly enough. On the logistics side, I knew that if we were selling products online, our customers—whether they were consciously aware of it or not—would expect their orders to be delivered within the 2-3 days that Amazon has made the standard. So, early on, we focused heavily on figuring out how to efficiently get orders to our customers as quickly as possible.
From a design perspective, my personal taste leans towards classic styles, with an interest in expanding on silhouettes from different eras. Learning how to go from an idea to a full production run has been one of the hardest challenges so far. There’s still a lot to learn, and I don’t think that the learning process will ever slow down.
Shawn, as a co-founder and Marcus’ brother, how does the dynamic between you two influence the creative direction and business decisions of Minted NY? What strengths do you each bring to the table that complement each other?
There’s no denying that doing business with family is hard at times. Since I was born, Marcus and I have pretty much done everything together, which inevitably means there have been a lot of highs and lows. Ultimately, though, it’s created a bond that would be impossible to replicate with any other business partner. We take a lot of pride in that, and besides maybe my parents, there’s nobody else in this world that knows Marcus the way I do. Because we’re so close, the dynamic between us is sort of unspoken - I know his strengths and weaknesses and he knows mine, so when it comes to decision making, our philosophy is that the more collaborative it is, the better. Marcus’, mine, and Clay’s opinions are all taken into consideration, because at the end of the day, we all have a similar vision for the future of Minted New York.
Marcus, you've talked about bootstrapping Minted NY from the start, making your community a vital part of your journey. What role did community feedback and involvement play in shaping Minted’s identity? How did that influence your decision to keep the brand fully independent and self-funded?
Lack of capital forces you to be extremely efficient and resourceful when building. There’s a book titled The Lean Startup by Eric Ries that really drives this point home. With no budget for traditional "advertising," I began documenting the process through videos I was creating. Everything was so new, and I was excited to share and document what I was learning and building. This sharing also allowed us to gather instant feedback on ideas, enabling us to tweak designs before final production, resulting in a better end product. We are forever grateful for our community of supporters…from the very beginning to the present day…without them, none of this would be possible.
Minted NY started with a focus on lifestyle and menswear, but we’re now seeing a growing hype around run clubs, especially in cities like New York. How has this shift in fitness culture influenced the direction of your brand, and what role does running play in shaping the design and identity of collections like your Saucony collaborations?
Running is definitely having its moment. I started running as a way to challenge myself after college, and it’s been amazing to see the popularity of running culture skyrocket in recent years. We didn’t specifically set out to capture a “running” audience—it happened naturally because Shawn, Clay, and I all enjoy running, and we’ve tried to create products and content around the things we love. Fortunately, this makes creating running products even more satisfying because we’re truly passionate about the sport and the community. With a brand like Saucony, whose running heritage is deeply embedded in its core identity, partnering with them felt like a natural fit. Combine that with the impact they’re making in the lifestyle space, and it made even more sense.
The "Minted Blue" upper, enamel overlays and training map sockliner are all unique touches. Could you dive into the inspiration behind these design choices? Specifically, what does "Minted Blue" symbolize for you, and how does the sockliner reflect the ethos of both your brand and NYC’s running culture?
We started by creating four different samples of the Endorphin Speed 4, but as soon as they arrived from the factory, we knew something was missing. We wanted a shoe that was loud, fast-looking, and truly eye-catching—not just another running shoe. That’s when the idea of electric blue came to us. It’s a fun story: At the time, Saucony didn’t have a color that matched our vision. Fortunately, Moira, Saucony’s footwear designer behind the shoe, took on the challenge of developing this vibrant shade and ensured it was consistent across all the materials. It wasn’t an easy task, but thanks to Moira’s expertise, the final result exceeded our expectations.
The electric blue spoke for itself. We realized there was no need for elaborate design elements; instead, we focused on highlighting the color and the Endorphin Speed 4’s silhouette. We saved some of that boldness for the insole—a little surprise for the wearer.
On both insoles, we included the outline of the iconic Central Park loop, something Shawn thought up late one day when browsing Strava. If you’re a runner in NYC, you’re likely familiar with that route, and it felt right to memorialize it in this way.
Saucony is a heritage running brand with a reputation for performance, while Minted NY blends streetwear and lifestyle elements. How do you balance performance with style in collaboration?
Our approach to collaboration really depends on the specific product at hand. Some items, like the Speed 4, prioritize performance, while others lean more towards design. Having a strong relationship with our collaboration partner makes this process much smoother. Jason, who leads Saucony’s collaborations, is our go-to person for discussing how far we can push the boundaries with different products. We trust him completely, and he understands our vision.
Your previous collaboration on the Saucony ProGrid Triumph 4 was a hit. How does the Endorphin Speed 4 differ in terms of both design and function? What lessons or ideas from the first collab did you carry over into this one, and how does it push the boundaries further?
Our primary focus in collaborating on the Endorphin Speed 4 was to ensure that any design changes we considered would not compromise the shoe’s performance. While we had the option to modify materials, we recognized that doing so could inadvertently add unnecessary weight—something we were determined to avoid at all costs.
How did this partnership with Saucony evolve, and how do you ensure the Minted aesthetic is embedded in a performance-driven sneaker like the Endorphin Speed 4?
We shared this story when we released our first shoe (Triumph 4), but it’s worth repeating: Jason Faustino reached out on April 28th, 2022, after seeing our work on social media. The entire team at Saucony has been a pleasure to work with. Jason really understands Minted New York and allows us to stay true to our way of doing things, which we are forever grateful for. We don’t like to box ourselves in, so when we chose the electric blue, we studied what was already on the market and ensured we were exploring a color story that hadn’t been fully tapped into.
Marcus, you’ve discussed “world-building” through Minted’s diverse offerings—ranging from fashion and fitness to running. How does this collaboration with Saucony fit into the broader Minted ecosystem, and what story are you trying to tell with this release?
Saucony has a deep-rooted history in both running and lifestyle shoes. For the Endorphin Speed 4 specifically, it was a no-brainer since Shawn, Clay, and I were already training in it. The electric blue of the shoe ties directly into the electric blue accents we've been incorporating into our latest performance apparel for some time now. Ultimately, this collaboration allows us to further expand the ways we can offer our community quality products across a wide range of activities.
Both the brand and this collaboration draw heavily from New York City’s energy and culture. How does the city inspire your work?
I often share this thought with anyone who asks my take on New York City: The city will give you as much as you’re willing to give it. Every day, you wake up surrounded by people from all walks of life, many pursuing their dreams with relentless determination. It’s hard not to feel motivated when you’re immersed in that kind of ambition. The energy here is a constant source of inspiration.
You’re hosting a pop-up event in NYC for this release. What can attendees expect from the event, and how will it further engage the community you’ve built around Minted NY and Saucony?
It’s going to be a great time. It’s a rare opportunity to meet so many members of the community in one place, and I’m really looking forward to it. There are still a lot of things in the works, so I don’t want to promise anything that might not happen. I’ll definitely be sharing a lot on social media leading up to November 1st. What’s great about our community is how natural these pop-ups feel. Everyone is friendly, conversations flow, and the atmosphere is something special. Hosting an event like this is great not just for the brand, but for everyone involved with it.
After two successful collaborations with Saucony, what’s next for Minted NY? Are there other categories or collaborations you’re exploring, and how do you see the brand evolving over the next few years?
I can’t say too much, but things are already in the works– I’ll be sure to share as much as we can when I’m able to.
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Sneakerhead from South Florida who turned his passion into a career. Concerts, music, trying new restaurants, and catching the latest movies are some of the things I enjoy when not writing for Sole Retriever. Email: nick@soleretriever.com
