Designer creates flat pack shoes
German footwear designer, Jennifer Rieker, has developed a ‘flat pack shoe’ which the consumer must assemble with the help of a shoemaker.
The modular design relies on the craftsmanship of a shoemaker to stitch the inner shoe together. Shipped flat in a vegetable-tanned leather envelope, which doubles as the inner liners of the shoes, each ‘Creo’ kit includes shoelaces, a pair of recyclable thermo-elastic polymer soles, two inner footbeds made from cork, latex, and jute, as well as a booklet detailing the materials used.
According to Ms Rieker, the design’s primary goal is to integrate the wearer in the production process. By employing a local tradesperson to sew part of the shoes, Ms Rieker says, the customer is acquainted with their origin and provenance. “In addition, the dialogue between the user and the shoemaker should encourage the user to take care of and repair his belongings more often,” she said.
