Besides fun travels, my academic experience here in London has, without a doubt, been one of the most rewarding ones during my time abroad. My knowledge and abilities in footwear design have definitely flourished and improved since the start. After all, if your thinking of doing footwear design, what better city to do it than London, one of the leading fashion capitals in the world!
Week 1 was mostly introduction and orientation. However, by the end of week 2, I had already learned (and done) a classic court shoe with all its corresponding parts. We’ve also 3D designed and printed our own heels using RHINO, the latest technology in 3D prototyping.
Nevertheless, the fun is just getting started. With all of this that we’ve learned, we are each designing a footwear collection inspired by a demographic from London! For this final assignment, I have researched and identified my customer, what she does, and what type of shoe she needs in order to create the perfect product. My customer, better known as a boho in the city, is a young professional who just moved into this cosmopolitan city and is launching her career in a creative field. She enjoys the diversity and commotion of the metropolis, but also appreciates the park scene and greenery, local cafe’s and antique shops. She likes to keep up with fashion, but reflects her past through her style. She loves colorful textile designs, loose silhouettes, and bohemian accessories.
My customer lives, a busy, fast-paced life. She goes to work, goes grocery shopping, meets with client, meets with friends after work, and walks or bikes home. Consequently, she needs a comfortable shoe that fits her style and lifestyle. For this, I want to approach it with a series of convertible flatfoms and platforms that can work for many occasions during the day. Plus, I get to add my own tropical touch with a bright and happy color palette, and fun surface designs.
Thankfully, having time to explore, and even travel outside the country has given me the perfect research resources to match my vision. Stepping away from London, and experiencing cities such as Paris and Berlin, where art and fashion are a huge part of its culture, has made me see my customer from a wider point of view. What’s next? Sketching, and creating! I’m excited to show everyone what I’ll be doing, and how my final product will turn out in a couple of weeks.
