With surf-inspired detail and nautical heritage, we wanted to dive deep into our collaboration with Slightly Choppy. Interchangeable patches in coastal designs make the Slightly Choppy version of our Center sneaker the perfect way to show off your surf spirit while sporting a comfortable canvas shoe. To provide insight about the Newport-inspired take on our Center High-Top, Artist Scott Richards and P.F. Flyers’ Head of Product Caitlin Bendiak open up about the story behind its creation, from the real-life influences behind the designs to blending the two iconic American brands.
Q: The Center is our most iconic sneaker, worn by athletes since 1944. How did you approach blending the roots of both brands?
Caitlin: We blended the roots of both P.F. Flyers and Slightly Choppy by leaning into what defines us both: being classic, timeless, and crafted. P.F. Flyers has always stood for enduring style and functional design—footwear that feels relevant across generations. Slightly Choppy brings a handcrafted, nostalgic artistry that pays homage to the past while feeling fresh today. By staying true to these shared values, we created products that honor tradition while inviting personal expression.
Scott: I’m most inspired by design from a more simple day where things had to last and were timeless and iconic. Signs were hand-painted, products hand-built, and materials were used to last. What I appreciate from P.F. the most is the heritage story of being a classic. Built for activities of the time and proven over the years.
Q: Design is in the details. What was your process like in working on this collaboration?
Scott: It was nice to be able to bring my world around the open sea to the P.F. Flyers collaboration. Being surrounded by the ocean and bay, surfing, boating, fishing, and all the graphic vernacular that comes with living in a coastal town, I reimagined local signage, boat burgees, fishing manual illustrations, vintage surf magazines, and a steady dose of digging into the photo archives of the Newport Beach Historical Society. I enjoyed the challenge to modernize this language using a nautical color story and a clean graphic language.
Caitlin: Slightly Choppy’s designs draw inspiration from artifacts and memorabilia of the past, each piece carrying a sense of history and nostalgia. The handcrafted flags—individually hand-painted or detailed with felt patches—are rooted in authenticity and storytelling. When we looked at the iconic P.F. Flyers ankle patch, we saw the perfect canvas to translate Scott’s art into something people could wear every day. His coastal, nautical graphics evoke the emotions of a bygone era, reimagined for today. By making the patches interchangeable, the collaboration gives wearers the chance to personalize their sneakers, turning each pair into a unique expression of both heritage and individuality.
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Q: From a product perspective, what excited you most about bringing this collab to life?
Caitlin: Both brands share an authentic appreciation for heritage, craftsmanship, and storytelling. Slightly Choppy has a unique ability to capture coastal culture and hand-crafted artistry. Together, this collaboration fuses classic American style with craft, culture, and community.
Q: What first drew you to creating surf flags?
Scott: It was literally a culmination of traveling, surfing, drawing, and designing for decades before I stitched together my first surf flags celebrating our local beaches. I’ve been a huge fan of hand-painted typography, specifically third-world sign painting, but the “hand-wonkiness” intrigued me enough to explore type within my paintings and creations. All my local surf spots, some known and some secret, deserved to have a flag made, almost like a modern relic and visual identifier that championed these places. It’s been 10 years now since I started, and new flags are added monthly to the roster.
Q: Much like our own tradition of incorporating heritage into our products, your designs are grounded in legacy, paying homage to nautical history and the Newport Beach area. What are some of the biggest influences on your work?
Scott: I always saw my hometown of Newport Beach, California, as my setting for my life, much like a setting in a movie. Where the urban landscape defined my approach, aesthetic, and subject matter. There is a rich history here around a waterman’s lifestyle, whether it be surfing, fishing, boating, and a community of salty participants. When I moved to Newport in the ‘80s, the town was still a bit raw and unpolished, and I liked that. Some of my biggest influences have been vintage surfboards, old surf trunks, board decals, and vintage boating and surf ads from magazines.
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Q: Quality is the foundation of both of our brands. How does the handmade process set your surf flags apart?
Scott: Making flags by hand allows me to slow down and be more intentional with my design decisions. Using the best materials, select fabrics, paint, felt, thread, taping details, and such are all conscious choices that give them an artistic quality that will stand the test of time. When first crafting the initial flags, my approach was from materials found in the art studio, where duck canvas was easy to paint, stain, and overlay with stitched patches and stuff.
Q: What do you hope wearers will notice/appreciate about the collab the most?
Scott: I think it was a unique decision to bring the nautical-inspired story of the Slightly Choppy brand into the athletic legacy of P.F. Flyers. My hope is that the juxtaposition of the two brands makes a more interesting impact and opens the invitation to a new audience. I think the patch pack of graphics is eye-catching and bold, and not something you see every day on sneakers. Some of the more interesting stories and product collabs are the most unexpected and not made for everybody, but my hopes are that our fans are gonna dig these.
Caitlin: What I hope wearers will appreciate most about this collaboration is the way it invites them into the story. Each pair reflects the timeless heritage of P.F. Flyers while carrying the hand-crafted, nostalgic artistry of Slightly Choppy. The interchangeable patches make the design uniquely personal—allowing every wearer to express themselves while still feeling part of something. It’s not just about style or function; it’s about owning a piece that feels crafted, meaningful, and truly yours–a keepsake.
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To set sail on your own adventure, shop the P.F. Flyers x Slightly Choppy collaboration now. With hand-crafted details and outstanding Posture Foundation support, it’s a sneaker sure to make waves while offering unparalleled comfort and vintage beachy charm.
