Somewhere between architecture, art and fashion, this series of 3D-printed shoes by five famous designers for United Nude pushes the limits of new technologies to make fresh forms of fancy footwear. Not meant to be everyday apparel, these unique party-oriented accessories were created for Milan Design Week 2015.
Rem Koolhaas invited architects Zaha Hadid, Ben van Berkel and Fernando Romero as well as designers Ross Lovegrove and Michael Young to participate in creating these pairs, each requiring around a day to print on a sPro 60 selective laser sintering (SLS) machine made by 3D Systems.
All shown above, Flames by Zaha Hadid features pointy protrusions casting stellar silhouettes, UNX2 by Ben van Berkel looks almost like a hoof and Ilabo by Ross Lovegrove features open heals and toes. Below, the Young Shoe by Michael Young provides comfortable support on all sides, looking much more awkward, reportedly, than it actually feels when in use and Ammonite by Fernando Romero is abstractly patterned off of the spirals of sea creatures.
More on the process and materials from Dezeen: “The process starts with a container filled with powder, which is heated in places, as specified by a digital file. This fuses the material together layer by layer until the final form is built up. Once complete, the excess powder is broken away to reveal the design.Each pair was created using two different materials: the soles were printed in hard nylon, while the uppers were formed from thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU), which is softer and more flexible.”
