ReBorn Designs LLC

Launched creative practice helping major name-brand shoe companies and start ups innovate with new designs, styles, and product/marketing strategies.

Founder & Footwear Design Director

Sperry

Leading the design team for the Men’s product category, aligning designs to creative direction and target margins, while leveraging consumer insights to meet commercial needs and enhance bottom-line.

Senior Footwear Designer- Men’s Team Lead

Designed and executed volume product offerings to drive newness and commercial appeal.

Senior Footwear Designer - Women’s

Charcu Catery

Co-Owner, Founder

Timberland

Led the Women’s Classics product from 2014-2018, the highest revenue-generating franchise in the Women’s Casual product category.

Women's Footwear Designer

HH Brown

Design and development contributor for Söfft Shoe, Isolá, and Softspots brands.

Product Developer & Designer

Coordinated design assets for marketing, including publication design, corporate communication, and special event management.

Graphic Designer & Web Designer

Hi, I'm Erin. 👋🏻

I’m an experienced design leader specializing in Men’s and Women’s footwear. I bring a unique ability to merge tradition with innovation, crafting designs that exceed market expectations.

With global experience leading design teams at Wolverine and VF, I excel at translating brand identities into captivating, sales-driving products. My design philosophy blends comfort and style seamlessly, always keeping the consumer in mind.

I’m your go to for:
• Footwear Design
• Creative Direction
• Storytelling
• Strategy
• Trend Analysis
• Color & Materials
• Team Leadership
• Consumer Insights
• Product Development
• Cross-functional Collaboration
• Presentation & Communication

Some of my career highlights:
• Launched a private label in just 1 month.
• Designed a sneaker franchise that generated $550K in its first season.
• Boosted product margins by 3% in one year for a global brand.
• Elevated consumer sentiment from 30% to 95% in just 12 months.
• Completed the Harvard Leadership Essentials program in 2023.

I use strategic design to help footwear brands and entrepreneurs stand out and grow their bottom line.

Ready to create the next big shoe sensation? Let’s collaborate.

☕️ Book a coffee chat: https://lnkd.in/eBMicF29

📂 Submit your portfolio/catalog: https://lnkd.in/epb2QsG7

📅 Schedule a FREE 30-minute Discovery Call: https://www.reborndesignsct.com/discoverycall

WEBSITE: www.reborndesignsct.com
EMAIL: erin@reborndesigns.com

Erin Bornstein 👟

Being overlooked stings.

But it makes you dangerous.

Why? It gives you:

- Freedom to experiment
- Less pressure of expectations
- Room to surprise with results

I’ve seen this play out over and over in my career.

The designers who catch my eye the most?
They’re never the loudest in the room.

They’re the ones who quietly keep you on your toes.

The type of work you only create when nobody is watching and no one expects anything from you.

Being underestimated is gold. It creates space for 'Surprise and Delight'.

And that is one of my favorite design philosophies.

When expectations are low, you’re free to exceed them in ways nobody sees coming.

Here’s how to turn underestimation into your superpower:

Focus on skill, not approval
 ↳ Master your craft. Let results silence doubt.

Use low expectations to your advantage
 ↳ No spotlight means freedom to push boundaries.

Deliver quietly, shine loudly
 ↳ Let your work speak. Impact is unforgettable.

P.S. Does being underestimated fuel your drive?

Repost this ♻️ if you agree!

CEO & Footwear Design Director, Delivering holistic, market-ready footwear solutions through strategy, design, and development.

Some moments hit different.  

This year’s TRE was packed with them.  

We got to reconnect with familiar faces.  

And finally meet others we’ve collaborated with for years in person, for the first time.  

That kind of energy? It doesn’t fade.  

One moment stood out:  
Patrick, our lead developer, met one of our clients at the show.  

They’d never met before.  

But they had built something powerful together.  

That client shared he had just sold his first pair of custom shoes designed and developed with us.  

He was proud.  
We were proud.  

Because that’s the work that matters.  

Not just the product.  
The partnership.  
The personal wins.  

At ReBorn Designs LLC Designs, we don’t just make footwear.  

We help people bring their vision to life.  

That’s the fuel.  
That’s the spark.  
That’s why we keep showing up.  

Here’s to more ideas made real.  
More firsts.

No alternative text description for this image

My holiday wish?  
Fewer knockoffs.  
More guts.  

We don’t need another watered-down version of what’s already out there.  

We need teams willing to take creative risks.  
Founders who know the difference between inspiration and imitation.  
Retailers who back originality, not just what’s trending.  

Because the world doesn’t need *more* shoes.  
It needs better ones.  

Footwear that solves real problems.  
Design that reflects real people.  
Innovation that actually moves us forward, not just around in circles.  

If you’re out here copying, you’re not designing.  
You’re decorating.  

And if you’re leading a team, ask yourself this:  
Are we following the market?  
Or are we shaping it?  

The ones who dare to do it differently?  
They’re the ones we remember.  

Let’s make more of those.

End-of-year jet lag is real.  
But so is the magic of walking factory floors with the people who bring your product to life.  

We just wrapped our team travels across Italy and Portugal.  

Not for the wine or the scenery...though, let’s be honest, both delivered.  

We went to reconnect. To listen. To see with our own eyes what’s working and what could work better.  

Because when you’ve got partners who’ve been crafting footwear for decades, you show up.  

You ask questions. You learn.  
You build trust the old-school way, face to face, over espresso, next to the machines.  

These trips aren’t glamorous.  
They’re essential.  

They remind us that behind every silhouette is a supply chain of real people with real skill.  

Design doesn’t stop at the sketch.  
It lives and breathes in the hands of those who make it real.  

And when you invest in those relationships, the product tells a different story. One of integrity, not just aesthetics.  

Here’s to showing up.  
To building better.  
To ending the year grounded in what matters most.

Performance running has dominated the conversation. And I'm excited to see who’s ready to push the category forward at TRE next week.

Patrick and I will be there on Wednesday.
If you will be too, send me a DM. Would love to connect.

Innovation can come from anywhere.
That’s why the emerging brands matter.

Here are a few I’m watching:

910 NINETEN
→ Woman-owned. Confident. Sharp point of view.

hylo athletics
→ Sustainable performance with real intent.

Swift Running
→ BIPOC-owned. Woman-owned. Fresh energy.

Veloci
→ Quiet mover. Interesting potential.

XO-Nano Smartfoam
→ Material innovation that could shift the category.

Emerging brands keep the industry moving.
New ideas. New voices. New possibilities.

See you in San Antonio!

------------------

At ReBorn Designs, we turn clarity into momentum by helping brands create intentional, intelligent, and impactful footwear. DM me if you’ll be at the show and want to meet.

Most teams sprint into what’s next.

Very few stop to study what just happened.

But the truth is simple.

The mistakes you skip this year become your biggest opportunities next year.

At ReBorn Designs, we build better by design.
That includes the unsexy rituals.

Like the year-end debrief.

Not to dwell.
To distill.

We map what worked.
What flopped.
What dragged.

Then we extract the insights that turn stumbles into strategy.

This isn’t finger-pointing. It’s clarity.

Because in this industry, the difference between good and great isn’t talent.

It’s self-awareness in motion.

And the best ideas of 2026 are hidden inside the misfires of 2025 if you’re willing to look.

As I wrap this year, I’m deeply thankful for the clients, partners, teammates, and industry friends who make this work possible.

Your trust, collaboration, and honesty are what fuel the insights that drive us forward.

So take the pause.
Audit the noise.
Walk into next year

like a team that learns faster than it launches.

I became a shoe stalker long before I became a designer.  

Not the creepy kind. The curious kind.  

I’d scan airport lounges, grocery aisles, city sidewalks.  
Not for faces, but for feet.  

What are they wearing?  
Why that pair?  
How is it breaking down?  
What does it say about how they move?  
How they live?  

That’s how you start thinking like a real designer.  
Not in sketches. In context.  

Because the best shoes aren’t born in mood boards.  
They’re born in motion.  

Every blister, scuff, and worn-in crease is a data point.  
Every unlaced eyelet or doubled-up insole is a story.  

You want to design something that connects?  
Start stalking.  

Not the latest trend.  
Not your Pinterest board.  
Real people.  
Real wear.  
Real lives.  

This industry doesn’t need more designers working in isolation.  
It needs more shoe stalkers in the wild.  

Check out what they are wearing in NYC today

The volume of this season is loud.  

Deadlines. Deliverables. Holiday chaos.  

But I’m pausing to dial in two things: gratitude and direction.  

Gratitude for the clients who trust me with their vision.  

For the collaborators who show up with heart and hustle. 

For the students I mentor who remind me to keep asking better questions.  

For the women in this industry who are still pushing boundaries even when no one’s watching.  

And direction because I’m not here to move fast and break things.  

I’m here to move with intention.  

To build products and partnerships that outlast the trends.  

To challenge what’s outdated and design what’s needed.  

To scale creativity without shrinking humanity.  

This year has been filled with pivots, sparks, and some beautifully hard-earned clarity.  

Next year?  

It’s about deeper roots and bolder moves.  

More strategy. More storytelling.  

More voices at the table who’ve been underestimated for too long.  

Gratitude sharpens your lens.  
Direction gives it purpose.  
Design is how I bring both to life.

Your brain doesn’t need more caffeine. 

It needs permission.  

(Though caffeine definitely helps.)

Permission to pause.  

Permission to step away from the screen and let your mind wander.  

Because the best ideas?  
They rarely show up when you're forcing them.  

They sneak in while you're folding laundry.  
Driving in silence.  
Walking the dog.  
Halfway through a shower.  

That’s not a coincidence.  
That’s a creative system at work.  

But most of our industry still rewards the grind.  
The always-on, always-producing, always-proving culture.  
Like if you’re not sketching or pitching or posting, you’re falling behind.  

The truth is, rest is not the opposite of productivity.  
It’s part of it.  

As a designer, I’ve had million-dollar ideas hit while cleaning crayon off the wall.  
As a founder, I’ve solved business problems mid-hike with my kid.  

We don’t need to hustle harder.  
We need to normalize the space where ideas actually live.  

So take the walk.  
Close the laptop.  
Let your brain breathe.  

Permission granted.  

P.S. I’ve officially traded my Starbucks-and-Dunks era for La Colombe this month, and loving it! Anyone else on this wave? 

----------------

If you want a little creative boost, you can join my newsletter Creative Caffeine: https://lnkd.in/eB2Ps5fq

In our next installment of the "Designer's Anti-Gift Guide" let's talk about clarity.

We throw more meetings, more decks, more rounds at the problem and call it “collaboration.”  

But what we really need is shared vision.  

A creative brief that actually says something.  

A concept strategy that makes decisions easier, not harder.  

A north star that isn’t just another Pinterest board.  

Because without clarity, time gets wasted.  

Resources get scattered.  

Teams burn out building something that doesn’t even stay on the line.  

I’ve worked on both sides.  

I’ve watched top-tier designs get watered down until they’re unrecognizable.  

Not because the team lacked talent. But because no one agreed on what “great” looked like.  

This season, skip the shiny tools and trendy templates.  

Give your team the gift of clarity.  

It costs less than another round of revisions.  

And it delivers more than another moodboard ever will.  

--------------------

Don’t forget, our newsletter for footwear professionals, Creative Caffeine, is back Monday.

I hit pause to build, rethink, and get my hands deep in the work again, and that clarity sparked new insights worth sharing.
If you’ve been wondering when the next one was coming, here it is.
Sign up today: https://lnkd.in/exPNr5UV

Unlock the 30–50% creative output you’re losing with this gift.

Most leaders don’t realize it.

But 30 to 50 percent of their team’s creative output? Gone.

Not because of bad ideas.

Not because of weak designers.

Because of 𝘀𝘄𝗶𝗿𝗹.

The chaos that comes from unclear briefs.
Misaligned teams.
Last-minute pivots that torch morale and burn time.

We glamorize the hustle.

But most of it is just expensive inefficiency.

So this year, instead of coffee cards and company swag…

Give them clarity.
Give them time.
Give them a process that protects their brains and their bandwidth.

Because the best gift you can give your design team?

A system that doesn’t crush their creativity trying to chase yours.

And start building product that actually moves the needle.

That’s why I wrote the Designer’s Anti-Gift Guide. 
Right in time for the holiday season.

Coming Monday. Don’t miss it.
Subscribe here: https://lnkd.in/exPNr5UV

–––––

Creative Caffeine is back Monday.
I hit pause to build, rethink, and get deep in the work again… and the clarity that came out of that is worth sharing.
If you’ve been waiting for the next one, this is it.
Sign up: https://lnkd.in/exPNr5UV

Transform Your Parent-Employees Into Your Greatest Asset

Did you know that over 50% of young children experience sleep problems? This alarming statistic directly impacts your workforce. When children struggle to sleep, their parents do too—resulting in diminished performance, creativity, and productivity at work.

At Ascend Behavioral Consulting, we specialize in turning the exhaustion of parent-employees into energy and engagement.

Our evidence-based Pediatric Sleep Support provides expert guidance tailored to the unique needs of working parents. Through interactive Coffee Chats, dynamic keynotes and workshops, and personalized interventions, we empower parents to understand the behavioral and biological factors influencing their child's sleep. The result? Restful nights lead to productive days.

Imagine your team:
☑️ More engaged and productive 
☑️ Unlocking their creativity and innovation 
☑️ Making stronger decisions and exhibiting enhanced leadership 
☑️ Reducing absenteeism 
☑️ Driving increased revenue 

Ready to elevate your organization? Let’s collaborate to create a robust support system for your parent-employees that fosters well-being and boosts overall performance.

Message me today to explore how we can work together to transform your workplace into a thriving environment for all!

Kelsey LeBlanc, BCBA, LABA

With gratitude on my mind this week (even more than usual), my son said something at bedtime last night that stopped me in my tracks.

Every night, I give him a kiss when I tuck him in.

But last night?

He put his little hand right over the spot where I kissed him, pressed it gently, and said:

“I pushed in your kiss. It spreads the love more into me.”

I mean… 🥹 

If that’s not a reminder of what really matters, I don’t know what is.

In the middle of busy schedules, holiday chaos, and all the pressures we carry as parents, our kids ask for the simplest things:

Presence.
Connection.
A moment that feels like love settling in.

Wishing you a Thanksgiving week filled with more of those moments — the ones that don’t require perfection, planning, or performance.

Just a little more love pressed in.

Helping companies improve parent-employee sleep to increase profits, productivity, and performance with practical sleep strategies || Pediatric Behavioral Sleep Specialist || Corporate Consultant || Speaker

The recovery stats? Insanity.

Parents don’t recover their sleep to pre-child levels until their child is six years old.

And in my experience?

That’s if they’re lucky. And if they only have one kid.

That number changed how I think about parental support — because exhaustion doesn’t end when parental leave does.

It lingers through toddlerhood, school years, and every late-night worry that follows.

The first issue of The Sleep Edge digs into what that means for focus, performance, and culture at work.

In case you missed it on Tuesday, check it out using the link in the comments. 

Next up: Bedtime Battles — How toddler sleep struggles ripple through the workplace.

Don't miss it!

Serious PSA for any parents considering starting an Elf on the Shelf tradition:


I beg you- do NOT unintentionally sentence yourself to years of creating elaborate nightly productions. 

Unless this is truly your thing… and nothing brings you more joy at the end of a thousand-hour, dark, freezing December day than cleaning up last night’s elf chaos at 8:30 pm, only to start prepping tonight’s scene (which, let’s be honest, required a little internet research because it’s only year two and you’re already out of ideas).

If that is you—you are amazing, and I absolutely want to see photos of your masterpieces!

But if you're like me, just the idea of this is exhausting.

There is more than enough on the to-do list this time of year, and once kid bedtime is done, this mama is TIRED.

So when we started our tradition, we intentionally made it more of a simple scavenger hunt.

Where did Twinkle (our elf) and Sven (our Reindeer) land last night? Are they hiding under the kitchen table? Or just casually hanging out in plain sight, waiting to watch us decorate the Christmas tree?

Either way, our 6-year-old is always excited to see where our little buddies will show up in the morning, and it takes me about 10 seconds to move them after bedtime (or more accurately, after my "elf reminder" alarm goes off).

Magical and sustainable 🙌 

What's your Elf style?

Today’s the day! 🥳 

If you caught my post last week, you already know what’s coming — and I’m so excited to share it.

Today, I’m officially launching The Sleep Edge, my new LinkedIn newsletter for professional parents and the leaders who support them.

In this first issue, I’m digging into why so many parents are still exhausted years after returning to work… and how that chronic fatigue quietly affects performance, engagement, and culture.

Plus: practical steps parents and managers can take to make things better — starting now!

If you do take a moment to read it — thank you. Truly.

I’m building this newsletter for the parents who are showing up tired, and for the leaders who genuinely want to support them. 

If it helps you feel a little more understood, or gives you something useful to bring back to your team, then it’s doing what it’s meant to do.

I hope you enjoy it!

When I first started researching and treating pediatric sleep issues, I came across a study claiming that parents don’t recover to their pre-child sle

Open article: Beyond the Newborn Stage: Why Parental Exhaustion Still Lingers by Kelsey LeBlanc, BCBA, LABA • 4 min read

Beyond the Newborn Stage: Why Parental Exhaustion Still Lingers

Ok, confession time.


I used to hate public speaking.

I dreaded it. Lived in fear of that unmistakable Irish flush that gave away every ounce of nerves and every tiny mistake.

But everything shifts when you’re speaking about something you know inside and out— something you care about deeply, something that actually helps people.

Now I get to walk into rooms (virtual and otherwise) and talk about pediatric sleep— a topic that isn’t just close to my heart, but is genuinely life-changing for the families I work with.

I get to connect with exhausted parents and overwhelmed teams.
To help people go from crisis to breathing.
To let their shoulders drop.
To feel human.

Funny how the thing I once feared most has become the thing that feels most natural.

What’s a topic you could talk about for hours because it lights you up?

This morning, my family and I are playing the ultimate pre-Thanksgiving game: 

“Will the 2-hour drive to grandma’s actually take 2 hours… or six?”

Will we actually make the tee time and the preschool Thanksgiving show? 

Who knows!

We’re living on the edge 😉

As parents, we all know this kind of chaos isn’t just limited to holiday travel. 

Sleep deprivation, meltdowns, and last-minute surprises seem to follow us — but the little moments of connection among the madness make it all worth it.

So here’s my pre-Thanksgiving wish: may your travels be smooth(ish), your kids mostly cooperative, your coffee strong, and your naps opportunistic.

To parents, caregivers, and the colleagues supporting them: you make the chaos manageable — and meaningful.

People Managers: What if the reason parents were anxious to return from leave had nothing to do with leaving their baby?

Ok, maybe that’s part of it!

But for many of the parents I work with, it’s the fear of not being able to function at work because they’re so exhausted.

They worry about nodding off in meetings… barely being able to form complete sentences, let alone complete complex projects… 

or in one client’s case (a critical care nurse), making small mistakes that could cost lives.

In high-stakes jobs, you can’t afford for parents to be off their game.

That’s why it’s so important to make supports for parents visible, easy to access, and judgment-free.

Because when parents are rested and confident, everyone wins.

Curious what this could look like in your workplace? Let’s talk.

The most important question this Thanksgiving is:

(according to my husband, at least)

Will you be able to sneak in a post-turkey nap?! 

Actually, for him it's a non-negotiable, "it's not thanksgiving without it" guarantee. His favorite nap of the year.

How about you?

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

It's always those single line emails.


"Thanks for checking in and for helping us get here. It feels really good to sleep again."

Relief.

For herself.
For her family.
For the career that she worked so hard to build—and wasn’t willing to lose to exhaustion.

It feels really good to read, too.

Does anyone ever NOT want a cup of coffee??

Day or night, exhausted or gloriously rested, I still want coffee.

Coffee is definitely one of my love languages!

But for most sleep-deprived parents, the truth is they don't need another cup of coffee.

They don't need more caffeine or cute perks.

They need solutions. They need strategy.

And here’s the good news: that strategy has real ROI.

Parent and caregiver support reduces turnover, absenteeism, and burnout.

Sleep health programs cut presenteeism, healthcare costs, and fatigue.

Put them together?

That’s where the impact multiplies.

Because when parents are supported and they’re actually sleeping, you don’t just get happier employees — you get a workforce that can sustain high performance.

This isn’t about perks. It’s about capacity.

And the companies that understand that are the ones pulling ahead.

All those sleep rules?

They don’t actually matter.

At least not all the time.

This past Sunday night, I knowingly ignored every guideline.

After washing my face and brushing my teeth at my regular wind-down time, I just stopped and looked at myself in the mirror. 

I felt exhausted, but I wasn't ready to sleep.

My husband was still downstairs on the couch, and that's where I wanted to be too.

It had been a tough day, and while my brain knew that getting a good night's sleep was the best strategy for a better day tomorrow, deep down I knew what I really needed.

A few beers, some snacks, and a few rounds of Jeopardy on the couch with my best friend.

So that's what I did. And while I certainly wasn't at 100% performance on Monday, I was surprised to find that I wasn't nearly as drained as I expected to be. 

Because the exhaustion I had been feeling wasn't entirely about sleep.

This made me reflect on why our kids sometimes push back at bedtime, even when we know they're tired.

Their “procrastination” can look a lot like mine did—especially now, with all the excitement and chaos of the holidays around them.

But they aren’t trying to frustrate us—they’re seeking connection.

Yes, it’s our job to make sure they get adequate rest, but there’s also room to be human. 

To laugh, to linger, and to connect. Even just for a short while.

As this year comes to a close, I’m taking a moment to remember: routines matter—but so do joy, connection, and a little grace for ourselves and our kids.

Sometimes, the best gift we can give—both to ourselves and to them—is just a few more minutes together.

Let's play a little game.

I like to call it:

Testing or Tired??

When I first started my private practice, I mostly treated daytime behavior challenges.

Pediatricians and therapists were sending over kids who were constantly tantruming at home, causing problems at school, and draining everyone around them — parents, siblings, grandparents, teachers.

Their parents came to me for behavior support, but often with questions like: 

Do you think my child has ADHD?
A mood disorder?
A learning disability?
Should we be looking into testing?

The common thread? Every parent reported sleep problems.

Once we addressed those sleep issues, the behavior problems often vanished — or at least drastically improved.

Tomorrow, I’m chatting with McClatchy Media's Parents ERG about this exact topic.

Sleep deprivation in kids is tricky — it doesn’t always look like yawns or nap requests. 

It can show up as hyperactivity, mood swings, selective hearing, or the sudden ability to argue about… literally everything. 

Misread it, and you might think it’s a behavior problem… when it’s really lack of sleep.

We’ll unpack the science, share stories, and dive into some slightly dramatic (but true!) examples.

A huge thank you to Efren Castillo and Kelli Estes, SPHR for helping bring this event to life!

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Kelsey LeBlanc, BCBA, LABA

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