Interview with the inventor of a new shoelace knot

For decades, there has been a lack of innovation in a particular practice of fashion Americans do every day: tying your shoes.

Recently I sat down with local inventor Emma Vanzant, who claims she invented a new way to lace sneakers.

https://youtu.be/MCSpBzd1_aQ?si=8OWK5-8_VwZ4mxRC

Transcript below:

Andru

So you claim to have invented a new way to tie your shoes. 

Emma

Mm-hmm. 

Andru

You brought a pair of shoes today. Um- 

Emma

Yeah ... 

Andru

I think these are them here. 

Emma

 I wear them all the time actually. 

Andru

Okay, if you want to show us- 

Emma

Okay. Unboxing? 

Andru

Yeah, sh- 

Emma

All right. 

Andru

If you don't mind showing us what, uh- 

Emma

Like that

Andru

how this new method of tying your shoes. I am- Mm-hmm ... very excited to, to see what that is. 

Emma

 Yeah. Okay. Yeah, so I wear these all the time. 

Andru

You can just put them right here. 

Emma

Where? 

Andru

Just right here is fine. 

Emma

Okay. Yeah 

Andru

Okay, thank you. Well, first, what is wrong with the old way of tying shoes? 

Emma

Well, the old way is, like, it takes a lot more time than you think. 

Andru

Mm. 

Emma

Whereas this way that I've come up with, it's like, I don't know, I just, I think it's a lot faster, personally. And I also think it just, like, looks better. Um- Oh, okay ... so. 

Andru

Sure. All right. Well, go ahead and show us the new way to tie your shoes. 

Emma

Yeah, yeah. Um, it's a little bit difficult because I'm, like, not wearing them. Like, there's a, like, a, a ... Like, my foot's not in it. 

Andru

Oh. 

Emma

Um- 

Andru

Do you wanna put them on? Or ... 

Emma

No. Um, so. 

Andru

Okay. So yeah, walk us through the- 

Emma

Yeah ... 

Andru

yeah. 

Emma

So I kinda, instead of like, um, doing like a, like, two bunny ear kinda thing- 

Andru

Mm

Emma

I kinda just, like, cross it and then, like, kind of like this. 

Andru

Okay. 

Emma

But then, um, I do, I kinda like wrap it around and make like a knot. 

Andru

 Right. 

Emma

Kinda like ... Yeah. 

Andru

Um, so- 

Emma

And then I go like that. And then you can kinda like, just, like, tuck them in too, and then there's just, like, a knot. And you don't have this, like, weird, like, bunny rabbit thing going on.

Andru

Yeah. 

Emma

Well- Like the situation here. 

Andru

Well, that didn't- Like a- ... seem much fa- quicker than the other way to do it. 

Emma

Yeah. I, I don't know. It, it's a lot ... It's ... Like, like I said, it's a lot, like, quicker and, like, easier- Okay ... when you, like, put them on. 

Andru

Sure. 

Emma

Okay. Like when they're on your feet or whatever.

Andru

Well, uh, let me try it on my- Yeah on this. So remind me how to do it. 

Emma

 Mm-hmm. 

Andru

So what, so what's the first step? 

Emma

Uh, you cross, you cross the laces. 

Andru

Right. 

Emma

Mm-hmm. Um- Like this? And then you, you're gonna, like, go under. 

Andru

Yeah. 

Emma

And then you're kinda gonna, like, just, like, go like that. Actually, hold on. It's kinda, like, hard.

Andru: That seems different from what you did before.

Emma

you kinda, uh ... Hold on. It's like-Um, you're like

Andru

 I think I missed it. Mm-hmm. Um, well, actually- Uh- ... how about you try it on your pair of shoes- Oh, okay. Right ... that you currently wear. I mean- Right ... I mean, if you wear these all the time, why don't you? 

Emma

Yeah, yeah. Um, no, for sure. I just gotta untie them real quick. 

Andru

Sure. 

Emma

Um, go like this, and it's like- 

Andru

You keep saying "like this." What, can you describe what that means? 

Emma

I, like, I don't have a way with words here. I, I'm more of, like, a hands-on learner.

Andru

Well, you're- Just, just- ... teaching. You're not learning how to do it. 

Emma

Uh-huh. Um. Sorry, these laces are, like, really difficult.

Andru

See, this is taking longer than the regular way to tie your shoes 

Emma

Yeah, just I haven't had a lot of practice doing it on these shoes with these laces. These laces are, like, a lot thinner.

Andru

But once you get to, once you get comfortable with it- 

Emma

Yeah, I gotta, I gotta, like, practice.

Andru

Like, how long would it typically take for, like,

Emma

I don't know. It's like l- it's like learning, like, when you were a kid and you, like, learned how to, like, tie your shoe, like- 

Andru

Yeah ... 

Emma

it took some time 

Andru

And how long does it- 

Emma

I used the SpongeBob song- Yeah, 

Andru

yeah ... 

Emma

To help me learn.

Andru

But when you-

Emma

So we could make a new song.

Andru

Once you get, like, used to your method, which I don't... Do you have a name for it? 

Emma

No, not yet 

Andru

Okay. Uh, if you, once you get used to your unnamed method, can you- This thing's in a knot ... like, how, how long will it take just, like, once you're comfortable with it? 

Emma

Um, I would say it's taking me, I mean, I don't ti- I haven't timed it or anything, but I would say it's taken me probably, like, a minute to do.

Andru

Seems like a long time.

Emma

I don't know...

Andru

Well, I'm- I'm- While you're doing that and figuring that out- Okay.

Yeah ... I- I'm, I'm told you have a Kickstarter page, which, uh, we'll link below here- 

Emma

Mm-hmm ... 

Andru

uh, for patrons to support this new method of tying your shoes? 

Emma

Yeah. Um, I would love, like, everybody's, like, help and, like, outreach and, like, kinda like spread the word on this, um, 'cause I think this is just, like, more... I think it's gonna, like, change, like, lives here, like, I mean, like, not to be dramatic, but, like- 

Andru

Well, like, what would the money on the Kickstarter page go towards?

Emma

Um, I haven't, like, set it up yet, but... 

Andru

And then obviously, like, the backers would get, like, rewards. Like, what are the benefits for people who back your project of this new- Um, 

Emma

The benefits, uh, you could maybe get a discount on some shoes or something. Like, I think we could do, like, a brand deal with- Y- ... like, Nike, like- 

Andru

For the new t- shoe tying thing?

Emma

Yeah. Yeah 

Andru

Um, all right 

Emma

Or, like, Crocs.

Andru

Uh, did you finish?

Emma

No. Hold on. Sometimes I'm like man, this is just like really difficult in these laces...Stand by...

Andru

Nice. All right, well take a walk around and- 

Emma

Yeah, yeah, yeah ... 

Andru

we'll feel it out.

Emma

Yeah, and like it works pretty well, like I'm, I'm walking. 

Andru

Nice.

Emma

Mm-hmm. 

Andru

All right. Well, when should we expect to see, um, this new method out in the world? New tying your shoes. 

Emma

I hope soon. I hope very soon, like we gotta get the ball rolling here.

Andru

Yeah. Right, and that's what, I guess, what the Kickstarter's for. 

Emma

Mm-hmm. 

Andru

Well, uh, Emma, thank you for joining us.

Emma

Yeah.