Meet Zach Fox, a Product Design major at the College for Creative Studies, a custom-car enthusiast, and Shinola’s very first intern!
Name, Age, Where you’re from?
Zach Fox. 21, Canton, MI
Tell us about your time at CCS thus far.
I’ll be graduating with a major in Product Design in 2013. My main interests at school include furniture/housewares (designing and building) and consumer products.
How did you first get involved with Shinola?
Our junior product design studio was sponsored by Shinola and involved the development of a bicycle based upon a certain theme pertaining to the time period of 1920’s-40’s. My bike design was chosen to be manufactured and I ended up working with the Shinola team.
What did your Bike design look like?
My design was a European-influenced mixte-type frame. “Mixte” represents a unisex frame that has a top-tube connecting the seat-tube to the seat-stay. The frame design still has that traditional “vibe” but it is updated with a lower, more modern upright riding position and features more cargo-carrying ability.
What’s been the most exciting project you’ve worked on thus far?
All of the projects here,so far, have been new and interesting. But, the most exciting project I’ve worked on for Shinola might be the shoe-care packaging as well as the fixtures for the retail store. I had never worked on packaging before, so it was a nice challenge to work around the container of existing products. I love furniture and houseware, so fixtures were fun to work on because it’s that same thing, but more tailored towards a public setting and focused on selling/displaying the products.
What products are you looking forward to?
I’m looking forward to seeing the bike line expand and come to life as well as the development of home products later down the line.
Best part about living in Detroit?
I live in a suburb of Detroit (30 mins outside the city). Nearly my entire family, all my friends, and my car club brothers and sister are from Detroit. The weather in the fall might be my favorite part about Michigan because it’s cool and dry (perfect for cruising your car in).
Can you tell us some more about your car club?
The car club I’m in is the Road Devils C.C.-Detroit. We are a pre-1964 traditional custom-car club. We all help each other work on our cars. We strive to build the nicest car possible within our capabilities. Some of us are better at paint and bodywork, others are motor guys, and some are fabricators. The cars range from hotrods to lowriders.
Where do you see yourself after graduating from CCS?
I would love to continue working with Shinola, as it is a company with great people that are creating and building interesting products.