By Phoebe Piserchio; Entertainment Editor
This past week, esteemed math teacher, Steven Yan, confirmed rumors that he has been in preliminary talks with Nike over a potential three-year contract to start his own math-inspired basketball shoe line.
Rumors have been floating around school since early March, when a student stumbled upon an email thread from Nike on Yan’s computer during flex. The student admits to originally looking for test answers, and therefore wishes to remain anonymous. They recalled, “I kind of did a double-take when I saw these mockups of Nike shoes with math symbols on it, then when I looked closer, I saw they were part of an email to Mr. Yan from the Chief Design Officer at Nike, Inc. I told my friends about it and, well, word got around quick.”
In an exclusive interview with the Thunderbolt, Yan expressed little to no disappointment towards his secret being exposed. “I mean, it was bound to get out sooner or later… I’m very disappointed in the student who tried cheating, though.”
Yan went on to explain that he started getting into his shoe-design hobby to occupy the extra time he had during quarantine. “Naturally, I was working on some proofs and writing math problems when I realized what cool designs I could make with math. I created a number of designs that incorporated familiar math concepts, from the Fibonacci Sequence to geometric vector shapes,” he said. Yan’s personal favorite is a pair of shoes with hidden pockets for students to keep their notes safe; other pairs have equations and formulas for students to use on assignments. “I originally printed my designs on t-shirts and hoodies, but then I thought maybe shoes would be more challenging and fun to design.”
When asked where he learned how to make designs in the first place, Yan’s answer was unexpected: “This might come as a shock to you all, but I actually have a background in fashion design.” Before deciding to go into math education, he spent a couple of years at the Fashion Institute of Design and Manufacturing (FIDM). Though he enjoyed the creative process, he realized the fashion world was not for him, and decided to transfer to San Francisco State University and become a math major.
Having reconnected with his first talent, Yan kept up his shoe designing as a hobby into the 2021-2022 school year. “When we had to go back in person, I started working on my designs just on the weekends. But, sometimes, I’d secretly work on them during class while students were taking their tests,” Yan revealed with a chuckle.
However, it wasn’t until Mills’ annual March Madness basketball games that he came to the realization that shoe design was something he could actually pursue. “It was the semi-finals and my old basketball shoes were completely torn and it totally messed up my game. Mr. Hakim had to carry the team and I was so mad at myself. Later that night, I did some research and to my luck, Nike was having a competition where you could send in shoe designs and they’d pick a winner. I immediately got to work and sent in my designs.”
That was in March 2022. Months went by until Yan heard back from Nike, but the long wait was worth it. “They absolutely loved my designs– especially the Fibonacci sequence shoe! I was flattered and shocked. Honestly, I wasn’t expecting to hear anything back at all,” he expressed with a proud look on his face.
After a year of Zoom meetings with different Nike executives, Yan’s shoe line is officially in production. “We’re calling it Yan Factorials™,” said Nike’s Chief Design Officer John Hoke. ”Steven’s designs are incredibly inspiring and innovative, bringing something to the table that we haven’t had here at Nike in a long time. Yan Factorials are the next big thing.” Yan is currently in negotiations to finalize the terms of the contract, which would allow Nike to use his designs for at least three to five years.
“It’s super exciting, and I hope this is just the beginning,” exclaimed Yan. But don’t worry, Mr. Yan confirmed he has no plans to leave his day job. “It’s Mills students who inspire me every day, and I’m so grateful I can do something that combines my love of math with my artistic side.”
