The

959

Skate

The Complete Design Process

This three-month project consisted of learning about, designing, and eventually building a pair of wearable sneakers, in order to explore the fundamentals of footwear design.

"The best way to learn about something is to take it apart"

Deconstruction was key to understanding how materials and construction affect a shoe’s performance and comfort. By dissecting existing sneakers, we learned what works, what doesn’t, and how to apply those insights to create more thoughtful, functional designs.

Break It Up

In order to better coordinate my design efforts, I focused on several themes for rapid iteration, while also using AI tools to explore variations in form, material, and construction.

Final Direction

Skateboarding and Rally Racing

Although they may seem different, skateboarding and rally racing share themes of durability and performance in harsh conditions. This seemed to be the most promising direction, which is why I decided to pursue more specific aesthetic directions. 

Plan It Out

In order to understand how flat material stretches out to form around a shoe, I tested several prorotypes with inexpensive material to finalize my cut diagrams.

Build

It

Yourself

Having little to no experience with sewing and shoe-making coming into the project, I had to be meticulous and efficient, making mistakes and learning along the way.

Wear It!

The final test of the project was a several-mile trek while wearing your custom shoes. Although mine were a little small in size, they withstood the walk.

The final design is based off of the legendary Rothmans Porsche 959 rally car, with its distinctive colorway and sponsor liveries. The "racing stripes" which wrap around the entire shoe act as the shoe's main visual element, as well as a protective layer for harsh skating conditions. 

The shoe is adorned with laser cut leather cutouts mimicking the sponsors of the 959 rally, which act to add depth to the already layered shoe.