Imagining, designing and making a quality shoe is a complex process that requires specific technical skills. Shoe design is a sector that combines art and craftsmanship with technology and innovation to create creations in step with the times.
Lo shoes designer is first and foremost a fashion designer, a designer capable of conceiving and developing fashion and clothing collections, but above all accessories, giving space to his own creativity and building his own personal narrative through his creations. A professional who understands and uses languages and suggestions not strictly related to the fashion world, adding them to the traditional codes of the fashion system to trace an articulated path, in line with the trends of the moment.
The technical, stylistic and creative skills finally design a professional figure capable of effectively interacting with the other professionals active in the sector, following each phase of the creation of a collection in a transversal manner: from trend research to design, from technical realisation to product communication and collection development.
Main footwear models
The model of a shoe is determined by its characteristics and the method by which it is made. Certain shoe models are considered classics because they have become famous and in common use over the years. There are about a dozen classic men's models and as many women's models, from which many variations are made, especially in the development of the upper, where the designer's creativity can range endlessly.
A distinctive aspect of the classical models is the closing methodtwo main ones can be distinguished, the shoe fastenedwith string or with buttons, and the shoe moccasin or with buckle.
The different models are then distinguished in the upper conformationwhich can vary in shape and number of pieces: the infinite possible variations on the basic models are dictated by creativity and fashion, allowing for the creation of ever new models, enriched with accessories and using different materials, colours, shapes and structures.
Making a shoe
The realisation of a good shoe, after the concretisation of the idea into a design, first involves the choice of the last, which is developed by technical experts in close collaboration with the designer, in order to harmonise geometric, anatomical and functional requirements with those concerning line, fashion and the designer's creative imagination.
The essential characteristics for successful footwear concern first of all the upper, which must be aesthetically valid and comply with fashion trends or corporate image; the shoe must also have a suitable bottom, in harmony with the line and characteristics of the upper model and easily reproducible in series.
La décolleté is probably the most popular and successful model of women's footwear; always in fashion, it is comparable to an elegant dress for one's feet, with an essential and sober shape, practical and refined, distinguished and classic.
Originating in the early 16th century as a kind of flat, thin slipper worn by infantry soldiers, it was not until the mid-17th century that it was worn by European women, but without heels, as a walking shoe; after which it was finally consecrated to women, starting in the 1950s, the décolleté model becomes the symbol of feminine sensuality of Hollywood stars and women of the international jet set.
New for summer 2017: Sarah Jessica Parker's trainers
Always running on extremely high heels, she roamed the streets of New York City in her stunning Manolo Blahnik: Sarah Jessica Parkerthe world-famous Carrie Bradshaw from Sex and the CityIt made entire generations of women dream and still continues to amaze us today.
After years of pumps and sandals, theactress and designer of his personal footwear line, he designed his first trainer: his name is Meteor and was launched just in time for summer: properly, it is an extremely sparkling and surprisingly comfortable low sandal, rather than a trainer in the usual sense of the term.
Ideal for both day and evening, inspired by one of SJP Collection's classic brand silhouettes, Meteor is both casual and cool, as well as extremely comfortable.
We imagine that it will soon be on the feet of all shoe addicts...
Have you always wanted to be a shoe designer? Discover the Master in Shoes Design organised by IDI based in Florence.
