FOOTSHELLS designthinking
What important was for this project is, to re-think new ways for making an unconventional use of constructions, materials, closures, techniques and production for shoes. Today’s circumstances makes it for designers more necessary than ever to re-think the way we produce now, and implant the new 3D-printing opportunities.
Next to that I have a big love for the world of tradition and history in shoes.
During the design process shapes and forms are twisted with accepted images to create a new look into the world of urban life and leisure for industrial and commercial purposes.
FOOTSHELLS prototyping
Prototyping for 3D-printed shoes is two dimensional. This process is on the computer and the designer needs to understand what will be the result. For 3D-printing you need to re-develop your prototyping process. Traditional prototyping is working with materials on a last, now you bring the last measurements into the computer and works in the opposite way of traditional shoemaking. To re-build the shoe not in your hand is a total different process.
This process marks a turning point between prototyping of traditional made shoes and prototyping for production of 3D printing in the footwear industry.
FOOTSHELLS shoemaking
3D-printed shoemaking is an innovative way of thinking about shoes, walking and making outsoles. For the ‘Footshells’ collection the way of shoemaking is without glue and you can customize your shoes with logos and personal needs.
Separate parts of the shoes that build together unexpected creations of slippers and shoes made with the 3D-printing technics. The results of the designs for the collection ‘Footshells’ are pushing the boundaries of what is possible without compromising optimal tension and movements.
FOOTSHELLS shoeproducing
My focus was to concentrate on new ways of industrial producing: shoes made without glue and options to customize for personal needs, for example individual 3D-printed footbeds or extra width what gives a lot of extra comfort.
For the open structures in the shoes, the inspiration was found in Japanese woven fishermen baskets. This structure is in the collection ‘Footshells’ a binding design element. The handwoven structure is re-used in an industrial 3D-printing making way and this open structures solve the problems with regard to the limitations of the 3D-printtechnics.
The complex functionalities of a shoe, as closures and connecting upperparts and soleparts, to a total shoe was combined with a flexible rubber woven net-structure into one total form.
To transform traditional crafts making ways, like the Japanese woven baskets, into 3D-printing is a great opportunity. The new industrial revolution of our time.
FOOTSHELLS selling
The collection ‘Footshells’ can be made local, nearby, by a 3D-printshop, there is no need for outside production, also no mass-production. If the investments for the design is done, production can be made one by one. You don’t have extra costs for transport or warehouse, you don’t need a traditional shop because early adapters will found them on internet, pay for the design and ‘produce’ them local. Next generation retailers will be focussed at these innovation technics, modernising craftsmanship a playground for heritage looks. These shops will be production areas for consumers and meeting points for soulmates. The beauty of these local produced products is next to the form found in responsibility for production an environnement.
FOOTSHELLS consuming
The next consumer hates mass-production of products and likes to personalize her/his new items. With the new opportunities for making 3D printed shoes, a new generation of unique, personalized and customized shoes, will be possible for all of us. The collection ‘Footshells’ explores the gap between the craft way of making shoes and the new 3D-printing technics as a starting point.
Studio Shoedesign, from designer Renate Volleberg stands for innovation in technique, materials and craftsmanship. For the project ‘Footshells’ she combines the digital technology, 3D-printing with reinterpretation of the heritage of Dutch wooden shoes. She mixed craftsmanship, using old and forgotten forms, also traditional ways of using techniques with innovation inspired on the world to come.
In her designs she pushed the boundaries of what is possible without compromising optimal tension and movements. The result is an innovative way of thinking about walking and making an outsole, shoemaking without glue, and customizing your shoes with personal needs. Unexpected creations of slippers and shoes made with 3D-printing technics.
The collection ‘Footshells’ is the result of the research to make 3D-printed innovative shoes during the MA study at FashionMasters ArtEz, specialization Shoedesign, in 2014.
Her work has been exhibited in: France (Paris), Germany (Cologne, Frankfurt, Berlin, Bonn, Hannover, Munchen), Swiss (Zurich), Denmark (Humlebæ), Argentina (Buenos Aires), Brasil (Rio de Janeiro), Bolivia (La Paz) Belgium (Antwerp, Gent, Haselt) and of course in the Netherlands.