K-Swiss announced plans to launch a new skateboarding category for Spring 2010. As part of the effort, K-Swiss has partnered with a team of design and creative experts including Skate Legend Greg Lutzka, who has signed an extended agreement to serve as the company’s new creative director of skate.

A seven-year industry pro with countless titles under his belt including a sweep of the 2009 Tampa Pro, Lutzka will work part- time from the company’s Westlake Village headquarters helping drive the cultural and product platform for the K-Swiss Skate program along with a dedicated brand management and design team.

"Skate has always been a compelling category for us since it is truly native to California. We feel we can bring something fresh and sustainable to the marketplace with a grassroots approach and the right mix of talent," said David Nichols, executive vice president of K-Swiss.  "We’re in a solid position to build and support a cultural, athlete-driven program that helps grow the sport and community over the next several years.  We have some of the industry’s leading design talent on board, you’ll see some unexpected product  and community-building plays from K-Swiss."

The initial Spring 2010 collection will include a collection of men’s-specific performance and lifestyle footwear aimed at the specialty retail channel, including a Lutzka Signature shoe. 

K-Swiss has formed a skate-specific design team to collaborate with athletes including the internal design experts behind last year’s MiSOUL midsole technology introduction.

The company said it has some inherent design properties that naturally lend to skate product functionality. K-Swiss’ proprietary three-piece toe construction is ideally suited for ollie protection, one of the most important durability elements in skate footwear. New applications of the brand’s iconic five stripe signature will be integrated into the initial collection, lending a fresh, but familiar design element to the program. 

"I have a great opportunity to build a skate program with K-Swiss that has the potential to be really huge.  I’m also helping build out a flawless skate team of pros and ams," said Lutzka.  "I think the industry will be surprised at what comes out of this crew."