“The beauty of the design process is that when you’re focused on solving a problem with a specific sharp point in mind, and you focus on your design and solution authentically, it can reach heights and areas you never would have imagined,” Behr says.
Behr’s appreciation for apparel and design began long before his time at Iowa State and Nike. Whether it was on the court or in the field, Behr was always attentive to the way athletes expressed themselves through their apparel and footwear. (He can even point to his first pair of Air Jordan sneakers at his desk, an infant-sized pair he received from his uncle.)
“Exposure to the style and culture outside of sports sparked it all,” Behr says.
As an athlete, Behr had aspirations to continue his basketball career at the collegiate level, but it was cut short due to injuries. His knowledge of an athlete’s needs and his own work ethic served him well at Iowa State.
While a student, Behr interned with menswear designer Todd Snyder (’92), and at New Balance, before he joined Nike nine years ago.
“Bringing in that entrepreneurial mindset and that empathy of other roles and experiences helped me in terms of my networking, proactive approach, and fitting right into the huge matrix of Nike,” he says.
Behr credits the wide range of opportunities and core values at ISU (internship connections, hands-on apparel design, and an entrepreneurial focus) for providing him with a clear picture of his path and process in the design world.
“I think there’s a big misconception about creativity,” Behr says. “Creativity is a skill like shooting or passing or anything else in athletics. I can’t just show up and design. I need to have an approach, a methodology, a philosophy, and a process that I feel good about. And that’s taken a decade plus to develop to what I use now.”
Behr has designed sellout sneakers, collaborated with celebrities like Travis Scott and Roger Federer, and has 20 design patents at Nike alongside his nearly 50 footwear projects, all while pursuing personal growth.
Behr’s entrepreneurial efforts shine through in his small business, Gōmbehr Studiōs, a multidisciplinary workspace home to written projects, mural creation, commissioned artwork, and whatever he and his wife, Mia, dream up next. Behr has also begun work on the Wardrobe Theory Project, born from his love of sustainability and apparel, which he features on his Instagram (@colinjamesbehr).
While Behr’s projects continue to grow and evolve, his advice for Iowa Staters remains the same: Be a student of the game.
“Lean into the fundamentals, learn how things are made, the manufacturing processes, and understand the nuts and bolts of what you want to design,” Behr says.
“It’s easy in college, as I was so guilty of, to draw for drawing’s sake and make stuff that looks cool. There’s a time and purpose for that. But having that base knowledge gives you a platform to innovate and bring change.”
