A sneaker designer found a pair of vintage SeaVees in a thrift shop. Now he’s on a mission to turn them into the next big legacy brand. Steven Tiller is a sneakerhead. Even though he’s spent his career surrounded by shoes—as a sneaker designer for Cole Haan, Lands’ End, Keds, and Steve Madden—he still marvels when he comes across an elegant, well-designed pair.