winter outsole project
(2023-present)
through a design and leadership class at uic, I started a transformative project that exemplified the essence of self-agency. Faced with the opportunity to ideate and execute a project of personal choice, I chose the challenging path of crafting a detachable outsole. The limited timeframe of the semester (5 weeks, one one-hour class per week) posed a unique challenge; designing a shoe with minimal prior knowledge. Necessity became the mother of invention as I sought local resources beyond the confines of the Design School to model the outsole. with a lack of resources to learn how to make a shoe, I navigated through uncharted territories, independently partnering with MHub, a thinktank for creatives and creative companies. This collaborative effort marked the inception of my journey into 3D modeling +in Solidworks through the process of ideation.
The idea behind the outsole: I wanted to create my own outsole for winter use for boots and sneakers. living in chicago you're faced with many challenges; one of those challenges is winter. because weather is uncontrollable, we as citizens have to choose what we wear outside corresponding to the weather outside our living spaces. sometimes we still want to wear something that looks stylish and will risk ruining our nice shoes on salted roads and sidewalks. This sole would help bypass salt with an elevated heel and toe area to act as a splashguard against snow and slush. The outsole would be strapped down to the footwear placed inside of it with a nylon strap going over the arch of your foot.
I finished this award-winning outsole as of may 1st 2024
digital mock-ups
v1 sketches
solidworks 3d outsole model iteration 1
rough foamcore draft
image research for outsole design inspiration
