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News - Learn about the secrets of the footwear industry!
Footwear and Innovation
Jun
See the future now!
Our curiosity and wiliness to overcome barriers has always driven us to find bigger endeavours, the latest innovations possible. Letting go of the unnecessary is not in our nature and we always want more. Technology and its evolution are proof of that, since each year we’re surprised by new inventions, items that make our life easier and are almost irresistible.
In the footwear world, innovation’s a lot of time present. If you want more comfort, shoes with better grip, more resistant, which weigh less… but that’s not all. From climbing shoes to sneakers with lights, going through unfolding shoes or made with 100% recycled materials, in the market we can find true wonders and today, on the EscapeShoes blog, we want to show you some new brilliant ideas that little by little invade shoe’s designs. Shall we start?
We start by talking about transformer shoes by Daniela Bekerman. The project of the designer, entitled Ze o Ze, gave place to one pair of women’s shoe… did I say one? It was five! These shoes have a common base, a simple shoe, flat and truly delicate, and four complementary pieces that transform the shoe into different models with a high heel in different heights. It’s a great idea, isn’t it?
Who has never wanted to take 10 pairs of shoes during the holidays but didn’t have enough room in the bag? What you need is a pair of foldable shoes! By using the principles of origami, the designer Horatio Yuxin Han created a pair of shoes that can be easily assembled with a few creases, called Unifold. These designs are made of a single piece of vinyl acetate and have the purpose of reducing shoe’s assembly and product costs, so that something as basic as this is again accessible to anyone who needs it.
With the premise “No Place like Home”, Dominic Wilcox created the first pair of shoes with completely functional GPS that guides the user to his or hers destination. They remind us of Dorothy’s shoes from the Wizard of Oz, the ones where by clicking the heel took her to one place to another. Well, the traditional design of this men’s shoe fuses to perfection with the top-of-the-line GPS technology and some LED lights that appear through holes placed on the leather in strategic places. Like Dorothy’s, these shoes activate with a click of the heels and the destination is introduced through an USB cable.
With the revolution of 3D printers, we can find infinity of innovative products, but did you know about shoes printed in 3D? Well, there’re real and designer Earl Stewart has been able to make spectacular pieces made of several materials by using this technique. With the help of a scanner and a podiatrist’s experience, his shoes with organic and original shapes adapt to perfection to the shape of the user’s feet. Look at that special finish!
Shoes that change colour, that fasten themselves, that tell you the time or predict the weather, shoes that run for you, that prepare your meals, that help you remember birthdays… no one knows how many possibilities there are and how many of them will ever come true, but it’s clear that there’re some very creative minds capable of designing truly amazing shoes!
However, personally I believe that there’s still some time before all these designs revolutionise the footwear industry. But you don’t have to wait to enjoy innovative shoes made of the best quality materials and specific technology for the care of your feet. Innovations like Vibram soles of many outdoor and sport shoes; Gore-Tex, the famous membrane that makes shoes waterproof; Air Cushion units to reduce impact, and many others that allow you to feel good inside a pair of shoes, which provide more safety, traction or freshness.
And the best of all about these technologies? They’re in your reach since they’re part of the design of many shoes that you’ll find at EscapeShoes. Hurry, they’re waiting for you!
