Meet the GFF 2020 Footwear Award Nominees
The winner of the Footwear Award, Sponsored by Size? will be the design concept for a unique and innovative footwear proposition that expands the boundaries of shoe-making to create the best possible environment for feet. Often the most beautiful and distinctive details are driven by a totally new approach to delivering functionality. Be creative, innovative and push boundaries.
Anna Melegh, Northampton University
With my design, the goal was to create a comfortable piece which is more than a shoe. Just like I mentioned before I’m fascinated by the natural world, in particular varieties of bugs, butteries and the habits they live in. According to recent studies, “the world’s insects are hurtling down the path to extinction, threatening a catastrophic collapse of nature’s ecosystems. The rate of extinction is eight times faster than that of mammals, birds and reptiles. The total mass of insects is falling by a precipitous 2.5% a year, according to the best data available, suggesting they could vanish within a century” (Carrington, 2019).
The aim was to give spotlight for insects, as fashion has the power to highlight various issues and to raise awareness of the conservation and the beauty of nature and natural materials. Last year I had the chance to visit Iceland and visit their sh leather tannery which influenced my work, and I decided to make my own leather at home from the waste of the fishing industry. I believe the change for the Footwear industry; what we take from nature could return to nature.
Caleb King, University for the Creative Arts Epsom
My interest in Sneakers began when I started to collect sneakers and re-sell them whilst exploring the construction and concept behind each sneaker. After discovering the Nike Air Max Workshop in London when I moved to university, I have become interested in developing my unique pair.
I was only interested in street style and basketball shoes when growing up: Air Jordan, Shox Vision, Uptempo. But after experiencing the Nike Vaporfly ban when I was older, I started to see how sneakers have a fundamental role in major running events. This level of performance transparency was what was missing from the Sneakers and how there was a clear divide on how we track our performance without knowing the environment for our feet. This pushed me to challenge the boundaries of how a sneaker can amplify your performance and protect and innovate the digital and physical environment.
There needs to be a future for sport but we can only do that if we start using what’s already out there and turn it into something that is helping the climate to balance out what we have already created. Designing a shoe that is partially made out of Algae Foam is a unique approach as it will not only decrease the unwanted demand of algae foam but when the Shoes are worn, they will naturally consume CO2 and release oxygen – in long term benefits the production of the shoe will become carbon neutral. Especially in dense urban areas if this sneaker was worn by a large group of runners, air pollution in cities could start to become a thing of the past.
Daseul Eom, De Montfort University
I believe that all beautiful things carry marks and scars, and that makes them treasured and unique items. In the same way, our wounds are honest parts of their own story and do not need to be hidden. While we all heal in different ways, and no two patterns of breakage are ever the same,we each have the opportunity to see the process as something precious—for what we learn, for how we are transformed, and for the resilience, we discover along the way.
There is a growing market for implementing 3D printing, not only in the sportswear brands but also in women’s luxury footwear brands; from small shoe components to finish upper. The importance of 3d printing technology in the footwear industry is being emphasized ever before. It gives designers to open up more creative possibilities and solutions, also saves time to make prototype procedures, Thus making 3D printing the perfect tool to make the process easier and eco-friendly. In this project, I wanted to incorporate the 3d printing technique to print a heel component. It allowed me to create complicated organic shapes easily compared to carve from wood.
Ellie Grey, De Montfort University
I have produced a Men’s footwear collection for my brand, Avant Gray; offering high quality products that are functionable, fashionable and as sustainable as possible. I carried out focused and directional research into Scandinavian design and furniture, focusing primarily on chair construction. Taking inspiration from silhouettes, construction methods and materials to create fresh footwear designs. I have created contemporary and innovative designs, influenced by the thematic research. Developing key design details, to create a brand identity which is recognised by consumers. I researched materials, consider ed sustainability which is a key principle of Scandinavian design and interesting material combinations as this makes for innovative design ideas.
Esme Whitelam, De Montfort University
Space Oddity is an exploratory footwear collection, aiming to go where no kidswear collection has gone before. Let’s let kids be kids. Let’s let them wear shoes as unique as they are. Space Oddity is a genderless collection made to be inclusive, with no boundaries.
Space Oddity is a collection fuelled by space exploration and inspired by space suits, along with innovative manufacturing methods. The trajectory of this project gravitated towards futuristic, astronautical inspired silhouettes which combines technical detailing, materials and colours from different NASA space suits from over the years, creating a collection that is out of this world.
Using innovative manufacturing techniques such as 3-D scanning and printing for sole units and upper panels, not only limits the amount of waste during production, it also allows us to make shoes that t precisely to each customer.
Faith Garba, De Montfort University
This project is about minimising the environmental effects of fashion and footwear and implementing foot reflexology with the design of shoes. I researched the effects of common materials used in footwear and I identified the repurposing of material as a possible solution to the problem. Additionally, I conducted some research on the key aspects and benefits of foot reflexology.
I then began to create initial designs based on these two concepts by sourcing materials I previously owned and incorporating them in boot design.
Hyunjee Park, De Montfort University
The project is based on gothic architecture. To summarize the gothic architecture simply, it is religion and deep history. The origin of this building was built high with the desire of people to get a little closer to god, and it has been maintained solidly to this day, using interior constructions; arcade, triforium and clerestory and flying buttress to maintain this elevated structure.
The goal of this project is to melt the gothic architecture into my capsule collection. The exterior of the gothic looks sharp and high, but in fact, I got many pattern design ideas from the pointed arch of the interior structure and the ribbed vault, which looks like flowers.
The capsule collections contain three designs such as, a high-heel design that represents gothic architecture's exterior which has a pointy and high. Second, a middle-heel design that depicts the feeling of triforium's window designs. Finally, I designed a trainer that goes well with the pointed arch and the smooth curved design.
Linda Stare, De Montfort University
My aim for this award project competition was to make children design concept A/W 20/21, which would fit for children with sensory processing disorders, because currently there are NOT a lot of footwear brands, who mark their shoes as 'sensory-friendly'. In the future, I would like to see that footwear brands create more 'sensory- friendly' footwear design casual and schoolwear ranges. Also, use puzzle pieces as symbols that shoes are 'sensory-friendly'.
Understanding that every child is unique and their senses either, this was the challenge for myself to design comfortable shoes with reduced seams; innovative 3D print elements; soft, sustainable and natural materials and colour palette for children, who can see colours brighter than others. Create designs, which would 'make a sense', which are functional (wide opening/ easy to put on/off) and they are attractive (like a toy) for children.
Louie Bond, De Montfort University
I have designed a collection of men’s lifestyle/ outdoor sneakers tting with the Autumn/ Winter 2021/2022 trends. My collection is in uenced by the Supermarine Spit re used by Britain and the allied forces during World War II. Taking inspiration from the harness and seat belts from the aircrafts as well as a military colour scheme which also fits with the season’s colour trends.
The brief asks to create a unique and innovative shoe that pushes the boundaries of shoemaking to create the best possible environment for feet. This has given me the idea to design my nal shoe with a multi-function feature, with a detachable waterproof cover. I designed my shoe to have this feature as I wanted to nd a new approach in functionality.The extra functionality adds a sustainability to the design as the multi- function of the cover helps the shoe last longer stopping the ‘fast fashion’ idea and supporting the ‘buy to last’ movement that is trending at the moment, trying to cut down the amount of fashion items thrown into land lls all over the world.
Sesong Ju, De Montfort University
These days, I’m very inspired by social problems. Such as feminism and animal protection issues you can see on the news. I was born in Daegu, Korea. Daegu is famous for textiles, so I have had easy access to them since I was young. And in modern villages, you can see a cathedral built in the 90s. It is seen together with Eastern and Western cultures. I think these things have permeated into my design and come out as an advantage of creating shoes by mixing Eastern and Western cultures with leather and textiles.
The reason why I became interested in shoe design is because of my father’s steady taste in shoes. From the past to the present, his loafer were dark brown-coloured Tod’s driving shoes. He wore various designs for sneakers, but the loafer was always the same. My dad said the shoes look good everywhere and they are the best classic design shoes. So, then I thought I wanted to make shoes with classic designs that people could wear for life.