Footwear Design Portfolio
Marla Marchant Woven High Heels: A gaze at traditions to resignify the ritual and beauty of craftsmanship.
Woven
high heels
A gaze at traditions to resignify the ritual and beauty of craftsmanship.
The project was inspired by traditional craftsmanship and how it embodies the hand and the mind of the people who create it. Craftsmanship requires passion to sacrifice time and effort and dedication to mastering technical skills, by which it becomes something very personal. It is a testimony to the beauty and inheritance of the traditions, being one of the duties that still remain with its distinguishing trait of being passed down through familial generations. Nowadays, the calibre of quality and details in traditional handcrafting is rarely seen. The concept persuades the creation of a contemporary image that invites us to visit the past to glimpse the future by modernizing traditional techniques and accessing the latest technologies using alternative materials.
CONCEPT
The approach of the project rejects the uniformity and repetitiveness of mass production, where the imperfection of the handcrafted products is usually thought of as a failure. The pieces state a particular point of view and conception of craftsmanship to introduce new components, unusual materials and experimental process to come up with innovative techniques and solutions.
Woven
high heels
A gaze at traditions to resignify the ritual and beauty of craftsmanship.
The main theme of the collection is weaving, where fabric manufacturing has been rethought as semi translucent volumes that shapes or build high heels and uppers. The concept of the collection was influenced by architecture and the first inspiration came from Buckminster Fuller and his principle of tension and compression of the structures. However, the main in_uence was Gaudi's experimental method in designing the surfaces of La Sagrada Familia. That was used to develop the experimental 3-D graphics patterns and conceptual pieces. The design process started by developing experimental pieces, leading to unique and visually provocative products that overcome tradicional footwear. The collection amalgamate 3d printing, woven patterns, traditional craft manufacturing and new element by experimental process and techniques.
CONCEPT
The aesthetic enhances a weightlessness body, creating the illusion of hanging from a net, tying the feet down and bearing the netting into a three dimensionality. While the body’s expression appears to be restricted, seem§ingly fragile and light from a podium that empowers it.
Fashion
context High heels have had different meaning throughout history, which depended of social and ethinc issues, gender and social class. Mainly these meanings have been related with power, subjugation, functional purposes, femininity, style, fetishism, glamour, sex, etc. The origin of high heels is equestrianism. They were created as an element to fasten the stirrups rather than being worn to walk.
High heels development The aim of making higher and thinner high heels has involved many subjects, convening traditional shoe making, engineering and technolo-
gy. The creation of the stilettos demanded a huge effort, experimentation and development of new materials and process as 6 inches change completely the body shape and the centre of gravity is moved forward. The foot has to suffer some modification because it is geometrically impossible.
The restriction of the movement because of wearing of high heels has been connected with different meanings. They used to be worn by wealthy people as a sign of nobility to state that they do not need to walk because they can afford servants to do it for them and have an assistant every time. Nowadays, high heels are still a sign of power and wealth. Shoes higher than 4 inches were called limousine shoes, referring to wearers' life style.
"The Empowered Woman" was a vogue campaign conducted in 1995 against the domestic violence. It consisted of series of images of women wearing high heels and crutches, taken by the photographer Helmut Newton.
CONCEPT
One of the explanations of why high heels are a symbol of femininity is linked with Freud's narcissist theory. Children tend to hide in their mother始s dress to feel safe. When boys realise that their mother does not possess a penis, they attribute this lack to a sort of punishment and high heels as a way to compensate this loss, producing a strong sense of fear to be castrated as well. Also, it may explain the role that extremely high heels play in an erotic and fetishist context.
Fashion
context
Japanese
bondage
6 inches is the maximum height of a heel, they change the gravity centre of the body reshaping it; the body has to adjust the balance. Women have to be conscious of their posture therefore of their body.
CONCEPT
Shibari originally was used as a method of restrain and torture, which has evolved in erotic aspect, using the ties as an element in sexual practices. Japanese were aware of the distribution of the weight and the strongest point of the body as they did not want to kill their prisoners especially if they were important. The public humiliation was the aim for this practice.The bondage consists of a rope geometric pattern that wraps around the body to restrict its movement or lift it. Also, the beauty of the knotting has been utilized in expressive forms like performances, photography and illustration.
Antonio
GaudĂ
Gaudi´s design method consisted of hanging models and designing the structure through several ropes and weight. The ropes were interlocked together and the weights were displayed along the ropes. Once the model was finishe§d, it was turned on, working as a compressed structure. Gaudi was inspired by nature, where he believed that the perfect shapes could be found and owing to this method he could obtain natural curves, which were ruled by gravity. These perfect catenaries were suitable for the design of the Sagrada Familia. He has developed a code to create and represent geometric surfaces, such as primarily hyperboloids, hyperbolic paraboloids, conoids and helicoids in various sequences of dimension. He designed the Nave of the Sagrada Familia using these ruled surfaces.
CONCEPT
His buildings were cohesive despite of the complexity of the shapes, seeming unfeasible and fragile.
Design
Experimentation
Gaudi始s method was used to develop the experimental mock-ups and a 3-D model to visualise the object and create some graphics. The experimentation consisted of several ropes that were hanged from a frame and some weight was added to find a pattern through the movement of the weights and interlocking the ropes. Once the modelling was finished, it was painted with polyester resin to set everything in place. The weights were replaced by the last, which was hanging on middle of a frame by a mesh made of cotton ropes and resin. More pieces were made in order to develop each element. The ideas was utilise as little joining as possible to obtain the final shape. The final mock up was made by layers, which enabled me to have a better control of the tension of the elements and understanding of the process.
CONCEPT
The extensive material experimentation and research was required to balance aesthetics, design concept and cost. The goal was to build the thinner structure possible that was capable to support the weigh of the body.
Footwear Collection
Woven high heels
A gaze at traditions to resignify the ritual and beauty of craftsmanship.
Style 1
Style 2
Style 4
Style 7
Style 8
LINE UP - SKETCHES
Style 5
Footwear Collection
Woven high heels
Style 1
Style 2 1
Style 3 1
Style 1
Style Style 1 1
Style Style 1 1
LINE UP OVERVIEW
A gaze at traditions to resignify the ritual and beauty of craftsmanship.
Style number 1 Date Last number Upper material Upper lining Sock lining Out sole Insole Heel Heel height Platform height Top lift
October 30th 2013 SL22055 white sheepskin white pigskin white padded sheepskin natural vegetable tanned leather traditional cardbord insole and shank 3d printed stainless steal structure and white leather strips 6 inches
Color palette
Sole
natural vegetable tanned leather
Sock lining
white
Notes The out sole is stitched to the upper like moccasin and the shoe is traditionally lasted. The heels is attached to the insole by Seeger rings and washers that hold the shank. The sock lining is glue after the heel is joined.
SPECIFICATION SHEET
Top lift
Style number 2 Date Last number Upper material Upper lining Sock lining Out sole Insole Heel Heel height Platform height Top lift
October 30th 2013 SL22055 white sheepskin white pigskin white padded sheepskin natural vegetable tanned leather traditional cardbord insole and shank 3d printed stainless steal structure and white leather strips 6 inches
Color palette
Sole
natural vegetable tanned leather
Sock lining
white
Notes The out sole is stitched to the upper like moccasin and the shoe is traditionally lasted. The heels is attached to the insole by Seeger rings and washers that hold the shank. The sock lining is glue after the heel is joined.
SPECIFICATION SHEET
Top lift
Style number 4 Date Last number Upper material Upper lining Sock lining Out sole Insole Heel Heel height Platform height Top lift
February 10th 2013 SL22055 white sheepskin white pigskin white padded sheepskin natural vegetable tanned leather traditional cardbord insole and shank 3d printed stainless steal structure and white leather strips 6 inches
Color palette
Sole
natural vegetable tanned leather
Sock lining
white
Notes The out sole is stitched to the upper like moccasin which is lasted and cut to fit the heel. The out sole, the sole and the upper is hand stitched to the heel structure. The heel is attached to the sole by rivets and washers.
SPECIFICATION SHEET
Top lift
Style number 5 Date Last number Upper material Upper lining Sock lining Out sole Insole Heel Heel height Platform height Top lift
February 10th 2013 SL22055 3d printed stainless steal
Color palette
Sole
white padded sheepskin white sheepskin natural vegetable tanned leather 3d printed stainless steal structure and white leather strips 8 inches 2 inches natural vegetable tanned leather
Sock lining
white
Notes The sole is molded through a boiling process. The sock lining, insole and out sole are glued together and hand stitched to the heel structure.
SPECIFICATION SHEET
Top lift
Style number 7 Date Last number Upper material Upper lining Sock lining Out sole Insole Heel Heel height Platform height Top lift
January 30th 2014 SL22055 white leather strips
Color palette
Sole
natural vegetable tanned leather white leather strips and natural vegetable tanned leather natural vegetable tanned leather 3d printed stainless steal structure and white leather strips 10.5 inches 4.5 inches
Sock lining
Notes The top lift layers are glued together and hand stitched to the heel structure. The upper and sole are knotted around the steal structure.
SPECIFICATION SHEET
white
Style number 8 Date Last number Upper material Upper lining Sock lining Out sole Insole Heel Heel height Platform height Top lift
March 20th 2014 3d printed white leather strips
Color palette
Sole
white leather white leather natural vegetable tanned leather 3d printed stainless steal structure and white leather strips 10.6 inches 2 inches natural vegetable tanned leather
Sock lining
white
Notes The sole is molded through a boiling process. The sock lining, insole and out sole are glued together and hand stitched to the heel structure.
SPECIFICATION SHEET
Top lift
PHOTO STYLE 1
PHOTO STYLE 2
PHOTO STYLE 4
PHOTO STYLE 5
PHOTO STYLE 7
PHOTO STYLE 8
PHOTO STYLE 2
Resources Woven high heels
http://sj7g09._les.wordpress.com/2009/11/l_ ba0bc524c7164f8c9799e2167e69fbcf.jpg (Accessed: 5th march 2012). http://www.artofcontemporaryshibari.com/ (Accessed: 5th march 2012). Museum and exhibition Sagrada Familia Museum, Barcelona, Spain.
Photographs Photography: Paloma PĂŠrez Englave team: Photography: Jun Ying Model: Antonina Sobko Makeup & Hair: Tarah Kostenko Makeup Artistry Stylist: Vibri Wulandari Jewerly: Artemis
RESOURCES
Black, Sandy. 2002, knwitwear in fashion, Thames & Hudson, London. Butcher, Mary. 1999, Contemporary international basketmaking, Merrell Holberton in association with the Crafts Council, London. Cox, Caroline. 2004, Stiletto, Mitchell Beazley, London. Davies, Lucy. 1994, Arts and crafts of South America, Chronicle Books, San Francisco. Deeble, Sandra. 2006, A passion for stilettos, Ryland peter & Small, London. Koskinen, Minna. 2006, Woven into merory, Atenea, Finland. Moroyama, Masanori. 2007, Japanese bamboo baskets : Meiji, modern, contemporary, Kodansha International, Tokyo. Semmelhack, Elizabeth. 2008, Heights of fashion : a history of the elevated shoe, Bata Shoe Museum, Toronto. Internet sources http://www.vogue.co.uk/ (Accessed: 5th march 2012) http://www.marcelwanders.com/index.html (Accessed: 5th march 2012). http://www.sagradafamilia.cat