In this 2 week project for my Footwear Design class I designed sneakers for urban use inspired by Brazilian sneakers of the 80's, that have a classic rubber sole.
I was very drawn towards contrasting uppers and soles, which led me to making black, rubber-dipped soles combined with a beige leather upper.
Before producing my first sample, I made experiments using plastic trash bags as my upper material to understand how a fabric pattern would fit around the last. Though I ended up using regular leather for the final shoe, the plastic models made me consider recycled materials as a 100% viable material for manufacturing shoes.
For the first version of the shoe, I wanted to explore materials and ways to make the outsole. All stitching was done by hand.
For the second version of the shoe, I decided to make the sole slightly taller, which led me to use 2 layers of EVA foam instead of only one. I also altered the upper to a combination of suede and leather for a less monotone appearance. Moreover, the rubber coat was improvised with ceiling waterproofing since I did not have the access to industrial grade rubber.
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*Project extension: DIY Rick Owens Ramones
WIP: With the skills that I learned from this class, I began my journey of replicating one of my favorite designer shoes, Rick Owens' Ramones - with a bit of my personal touch.
