Development

If you notice, my last post was last summer. I took a semester off due to a family emergency. But now I'm back, and it's my last semester: Implementation. I'd like to dedicate my final stretch to my mom. Thanks for believing in me.
The goal this Spring other than a final presentation package consisting of a book, poster, video, and display (okay... exhale...) is finalizing the details of my shoe with China which includes costing and realizing what I might have to do here on my end e.g painting the outsole, making my own shoe box, etc.

Anyway, I've received another sample for each men and women. It looks like this is going to be much more work and so I've cut my project down to just a men's shoe. I'm okay with this since both shoes will have the same features, just some different design cues as in seams and measurements. Plus, I feel I'm fulfilling my resume/portfolio in other ways such as in getting a new internship with The North Face footwear department. yay.

Here are some images of my current development...

outsole is now phylon with rubber traction inserts to be added: lighter, cheaper, and more comfortable.

Next steps– receive revised samples back from China, ensure materials look right, and make any necessary revisions with hopes to finalize the sample in one more run.

Summary of my project thus far...

Sometimes, you just gotta...

do it. I am so humbled/thankful/inspired/overjoyed by all the assistance I have been receiving from industry experts and friends.

Last weekend, Emil, "sketch like a beast" Ryan, and I drove up to the northwest for a 4 day road trip. There were two primary goals–be at Ryoko's 3rd birthday party in Seattle (her uncle needs to be present at special occasions like this) and meet with key players in the footwear industry for further networking and to gain valuable insight for my thesis and future.

Much thanks to Tom Luedecke (Jordan), Francis Hosana (Nike), Matt Rhoades (Nike), Andrew Croll (Nike), FT Brown (Nike), Cameron Braithwaite (Brooks Running) (he said the best thing to me the other day..."one day you'll be my boss." lol I love him for that), Greg Diharce (MatMarket/Tiong Liong), Tim Berglund (Clarino), Brian Bednarek (Mesh01), and my fellow Pensole brothers Jamal, Edmund, Eric, and Glen (big ups to them for making it happen up in Portland).

I'm ever so pumped for my future in footwear. Thanks everyone.
More to come...

The shoe

Book, Boards, Presentation...

so the next post will be a while from now until I finish my end-of-semester wrap up.

by the way, thanks all for the feedback re: possible subtitles/taglines for my project.
One of my favorites "WORKS: Better than  your car" .. thx brandon

Tooling wooden mold v2

Just got the email from China that my wooden mold has been fixed. It should arrive this week. I already know I'll be making a bunch of revisions on this. I'm thinking of extending the shank (which sits in the middle section) forward, for instance.
Again, this is for a vulcanized design. This past week I found that I might have to explore a cemented shoe instead to accommodate my TPU-like print/lamination on the upper. (the TPU would melt in the oven)
Looking forward to revising this to make it a cemented type of cupsole (or designed for both vulc and cemented?!).

More WIP

Low #6

I'm really curious to sample this... the microthin tpu welded on the toe/medial qtr.

Medial explorations

Got some more feedback from Jason Brown, ol' colleague at my time with Zoo York/Skechers; trying to push my durability/breathability story on the upper whilst not abandoning the timeless/clean aesthetic of this project.

The asymmetric throat and higher medial quarter panel remains.  Some things explored per JB's advice--stitch free vamp overlay/welded, super thin TPU toe cap of some sort, and box leather instead of patent leather for the quarters.

Navy is the new black

one rendition of the women's low...