Industrial Devolution : Footwear

In the realm of footwear, innovation is often used for the wrong reasons: as a gimmick or marketing tool instead of adding value or overcoming problems. ‘Industrial Devolution: Footwear’ does the opposite, evolving new shoe structures using the project’s weaving workshop. This practical research resulted in a series of prototypes that not only show a range of conceptual, functional and aesthetic possibilities, they also show that there is no single answer on how to make a shoe. Rope soles, wooden soles, jute, sisal, nylon or polypropylene – each comes with its own properties, pros and cons. By establishing an alternative production process versatile enough to adapt footwear to user needs, Ruben Warnshuis breathes new life into apparel innovation.

*Only online, not on display at show*