THE BOWLING SNEAKER / Footwear Construction
Classic “bowling” sneaker inspired by the footwear and apparel of mid-century alleys. Enhanced with with industrial embellishments for a modern update, the upper consists of kidskin and repurposed leather and is topped off with a 3D printed PLA buckle for a secured fit.
Bowling Sneaker: Concept Direction
Retro revamp, 60's lifestyle (retro-futurism), heritage
Mood-board of various imagery that inspired the sneaker design process, ranging from mid-century American lifestyle, the urban environment, industrial architecture/design and so on. I looked into various streetwear subcultures from Contemporary British Menswear, Techwear, 90s Punkcore, to name a few. In addition, I took inspiration from designers that intersect classic silhouettes with contemporary textures, design elements and materials – such as A-Cold-Wall*, Yohji Yamamoto, Thome Browne, and so on.
The goal was to design a sneaker that pays homage to a retro, easily styleable sneaker silhoutette, whilst simultaneously presenting updated design elements and construction for the modern, industrial world.
Development/Ideation:
Process : Prototype
Testing my pattern using muslin: Ensuring the proportions, construction and fit are feasible, before applying the pattern onto leather.
Process : Construction
Veg-tan belly leather was used to construct the insole, toe-box and heel counter and was wet-moulded to the last. A mix of kidskin and calfskin leather was used for the upper, whilst neoprene was used for the lining. Then all the pieces were sewed together.
Process : Buckle
3D Modeled buckle through Fusion 360. The buckle was 3D Printed using a translucent PLA plastic to convey a more modern and “industrial” persona. The strap material used was the same cream kid-skin leather as the upper to provide a more cohesive look.
Finishing Touches:
Once all the components were sewed, the upper was ready to be glued up and lasted to the cup sole. Once layers to the shoe were secured, the shoe was removed from the last, was laced up and buckled.
Materials
Lining (Neoprene)
Tongue (Calf-Skin Leather)
Buckle (PLA Plastic)
Outsole (TPU Rubber)
Upper/Overlays (Kidskin Leather)
