3D Printing Twisted Shoes

UK shoe designer Julian Hakes has rolled out a 3D printing approach to creating custom shoes. The award-winning Mojito Shoe has a spiral high heel that was partly enabled by using an Ultimaker 2 3D printer to create prototypes.

Hakes has been able to use the printer for both quickly prototyping his shoes, as well as creating durable parts for catwalk presentations.

The fanciful shoes (named Mojito because they resemble a lime twist) were inspired after architect Hakes noticed how footprints in the sand demonstrate the way weight is distributed when people walk. The shoe is designed to wrap around the foot and ankle, leaving the arches free.

Hakes thinks 3D printing can revolutionize the shoe industry. In this 2013 interview, he said, “3D printing technology will allow the creation of much more bespoke footwear and whilst at the moment it is limited to accessories, it will not be long before we can make a solid, reliable, wearable shoe direct from 3D printing. The technology is available but costs are still prohibitive.”

One of the Mojito shoes is part of the “Shoes: Pleasure and Pain” exhibit at the Victoria and Albert Museum.

For more in 3D-printed footwear, see our previous coverage here.

Source: Ultimaker