Wallet Shoe
An attempt to re-imagine the typical oxford resulted in a fun, sleek, and functional design.
The wallet shoe is a statement towards money laundering. Its elegant look and hidden money pocket resemble how the ultra rich hide their money for tax avoidance.
This project consisted in designing, patterning and constructing the shoe.
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Discover
brief
Re-imagine what the typical oxford shoe can be.
a symbol of rebellion
The oxford evolved from the Oxonian, a boot with side slits that grew popular in the 19th century at Oxford University. The side slits eventually transformed from hardware into side laces.
As the oxford got smaller and the laces moved to the instep as students rebelled against knee and ankle high boots.
Define
Ideation
Given how open ended the brief was, I decided to some rough sketch research and put all the crazy ideas out on paper in order to narrow down on a concept.
This process involved asking a lot of questions and challenging what the traditional dress shoe could become.
waves
Could the oxford be...
Perforated
Could the oxford be...
Storage
Could the oxford be...
Direction
Through feedback and giving some thought on the concepts I decided to narrow down into the idea of storage and explore how the oxford could turn into something useful not only fashionable.
storage
wallet
Shoe
Research
The concept of storage went hand in hand with a world issue related with wealth. This project became a statement by alluding to the wealthy and how they hide their money to avoid getting taxed. The idea of storage and hiding money in your shoe resembles money laundering by hiding your money somewhere no one would expect.
Develop
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Elegant
Hidden
Sleek
SKETCHES
patterning
Patterns were made for the upper, lining and sole of the shoe. All patterns came from the taped last master pattern. Inner pockets, edge treatments, and sewing allowances are taken into account for construction.
Mock up
Before diving into the final make, I created a prototype to test out my design. Prototyping allowed me to validate my ideas and understand where to make adjustments.
Next Steps
After receiving some feedback and reflecting on the mock up, I was able to identify the areas that needed to be refined.
Change the...
Zipper
The curve of the zipper turned out to be too drastic and presented issues when lasting.
Change the...
Color
The color of the shoe did not match the idea of elegance and sleekness.
Change the...
Sole
The sole matched the theme of the shoe but did not work with the design.
Deliver
