This shoe spotted on Forbes Life was created using the 3Doodler Pen. If you haven’t seen one, this pen is like 3D printing without the coordinates; you create any pattern you like from your imagination and instantly draw it. One of my friends has this pen and it took him a bit of time to create a wiry earring for me that looked like it was spun like a spider’s web. The point is, it takes patience and it is hard to control the lines.
This beautiful shoe was designed by designer Kade Chan, who is famous for his inventive origami style clothing. His history includes joining the Hong Kong Origami Society at age 12, so he definitely has a passion for art with folds. This shoe seems to be a departure from his norm, although the same thought process of how pieces must work together to create a whole is definitely visible.
Something that is not as apparent is the functional design of the heel. Kade wanted the shoe to have a built in shock absorber, much like a car. So, embedded in the heel is a spring. The process used to construct the heel is as interesting as the process of creating the scrolling body of the shoe. Check out the layering and filing–it’s more shapes fitting together like origami.
Although there was no report from a model talking about the shock absorbing feature of the heel, it does seem like it would be less stress on the spine. As for me, I’m sticking with chunky platforms and wedges since they are safer for the sidewalks of Philly. However, Kade has convinced me to try a 3Doodler for some crafting. It’s really amazing how much 3D printing is becoming part of fashion. If you are already part of it, you might want to try making another great fashion accessory–NeoPixel Buttons. They combine the beauty of LEDs with plastic for some night fun.
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