When it comes to safety, performance and design, it’s hard to look past Fox as a world leader in motocross apparel. Cutting-edge equipment is standard in Fox’s range each season its released, with an ever-evolving development process continuing to produce high quality products that riders globally relate to year on year. Upon release of the MX15 range in Australia, Fox global category director, motocross, Mark Finley travelled down under to launch 2015’s latest line, which boasts the revolutionary MIPS (Multi-Directional Impact Protection System) within the all-new V3 and V4 helmets that enhances rider protection further than ever before. For the complete rundown on MIPS, make sure you take time to watch the video below as part of this exclusive interview. And of course, we spoke to Mark about all kinds of other Fox topics.

First up, tell our readers about your involvement with Fox and your role within the brand…

My title officially is global category director, motocross, which means I’m overseeing every aspect of the motocross division, all the way down to what riders we might want to sign, what teams, and also a big part of my day-to-day life at Fox is working on the motocross range – everything from boots, helmets, chest protectors and racewear. When I say working on it, I’m creating the line, how many styles we should have, design briefs, which includes me typing line by line the attributes a product should have for an upcoming season and how we can improve on it. We’re working on an 18-month calendar, that’s how far we work out – I already have samples of MX16. I’m managing products, working with the rider support team, the catalogue production, marketing meetings and making sure everything is synced up. I’m telling the marketing guys what the big stories are for the year, which this year is the V3 Helmet, the MIPS in the helmets which you can see more about in the video, the Comp 8 Boot, the new Instinct Boot and it’s all encompassing for motocross.

Fox has a great relationship with Monza Imports here in Australia, which spans over two decades now. How closely do you guys work together?

I talk to Scotty [Runciman] and Gary [Marquis] on almost a weekly basis. We have an international sales manager in our office, but because of our relationship we have with the guys including Sincs [Mick Sinclair], I’m on emails with them on a weekly basis. These guys are awesome and I lean on them a lot. Australia is the second biggest market for us outside of the USA, so these guys are so important for us to work together and find out what is and isn’t working.

It’s obviously a proud moment to release the latest range, but is it also a relief to finally be able to show the world?

Yeah, you nailed it! I liken it to a band in the studio making an album, because you’re not quite sure how the fans will feel about it, and it’s similar. We’re in the office working for 12 months and of course we get feedback along the way, but when we do show it to our audiences and especially here internationally, we’re proud and relieved. At that stage we’re already working on the next season, so it’s important at these events to get feedback and I have time to make changes. If people like the Mars graphics, or possibly think it’s too crazy, we take note of that because there’s almost always another one building off the success of that. It’s like delivering a baby and everything’s cool, yeah.

Image: Alex Gobert.

You guys not only improve on styling from year to year, but also significantly in regards to safety. It really is a constant process, isn’t it?

We have an amazing group of guys at work, always pushing to evolve and looking outside of our industry all the time. They’re looking at US football for helmet safety, the automotive industry, things like that, and they’re always pushing innovation. Our developers are on the frontline of fabric sourcing, we look at Nike all the time, and look at how we can take things from stick and ball sports, to evolve them for motocross. That’s where a lot of this innovation comes from.

How much input do your world-class athletes have?

Kenny [Roczen] and Ryan [Dungey] have a lot of input, but are very different. Ryan to us is more of the hard worker, blue-collar working class hero and his style reflects that, whereas Kenny is more like a rockstar, pushing the envelope on graphics and colour. We know what they will like, but we allow them to direct us. They’re really available during supercross testing, when they’re in California and that’s when we work really closely. Chad [Reed] is probably the most hands on guy we work with, down to designing his racewear via email and phone with him. He knows how to use Illustrator now, so he’s putting colours in and sending back to us – he’s really, really involved.

Well congratulations on the line, thanks a lot for taking some time out, and we hope you enjoyed your time in Australia.

Thank you, we appreciate every bit of support you guys provide to us.