In the early '80s Italian sportswear brand Ellesse tried to come up with an experimental product - bold-coloured shoes in expanded polyurethane. Designed by Marc Sadler and launched in a club to a crowded audience of young people, they looked visually striking in bold or pastel colours, but they didn't end up being as successful they hoped they would be.
Eco-friendly issues had started emerging and people felt skeptical about the virtues of plastic-based materials, besides the shoes were not perfect as they easily cracked.
Fast forward to our times and bold-coloured shoes in synthetic materials are all over the place: as seen in the previous post, Balenciaga included gothic Crocs in its latest collection, but also men's EVA derby shoes, characterised by a dynamic and rather peculiar shape that could be defined as a crossover between a futuristic coffin and Zaha Hadid Architects' faceted glass structure on the roof of Antwerp's Port Authority (View this photo).
According to the brand they are made in a single mold using sustainable EVA; if you like the idea, you may be happy to hear that a 3D printed rubber pump is already available on Balenciaga's site.
In fluorescent yellow, hot pink, black or in transparent silicone for that "Cinderella goes raving" effect, the pump will set you back €2,490, which is a bit expensive for a pair of, well, rubber shoes and the price will also make you feel a bit of nostalgia for your childhood's jelly sandals from the '80s, bought at a local market for a modest sum, equivalent to €5 today.
EVA footwear has been trending in the last few years: Kanye West's injected EVA foam adidas Yeezy slides were launched in 2019, and were since then successfully released in different colourways; the adidas Yeezy Foam Runner, unveiled in 2020, a moulded slip-on that again for its elaborate one-piece EVA structure resembles a building by Zaha Hadid Architects (the Changsha Meixihu International Culture & Arts Centre, maybe? View this photo), was also a hit with fans.
Adidas Yeezy footwear prompted other brands to follow, among the others Balmain where Safa Sahin, head of sneaker at the French maison, offered a new interpretation of the foam-based slides with a sole that resembles an aerodynamic superboat.
John Galliano at Maison Margiela presented the new collection with a film by Olivier Dahan film, shot in studio, and featuring young fishermen and women in thigh-high upcycled fishing waders (a development of the safety wellington boot trend?), representing a utopian vision of youth in an otherwise dystopian world.
The clothes looked more Autumn/Winter than Spring/Summer, with plenty of Guernseys and Fair Isle knits with a DIY twist about them, donned by models holding fishing rods, a reference to electro-magnetic fly-fishing according to Galliano, practiced by young people to fish out trash from rivers.
Summer/Spring moods were summoned by the coats decorated with feathered fishing flies and sailor collars traced on tulle garments overimposed on skirt suits.
These designs were matched with Margiela's signature tabi boots, reinterpreted also as mary janes, in bio-degradable 3D printed molded rubber to homage all those young people who are into fashion, but are not insensitive to climate issues.
Not everyone likes synthetic materials, though: Stella McCartney believes indeed that mushrooms are the future and, to keep true to her belief, she started working with mycelium leather produced by California-based company Bolt Threads.
The mushrooms are grown without any water and with barely any electricity in labs; they are then pressed down and transformed into a faux leather.
In March McCartney unveiled a bustier top and trousers made with Bolt's Mylo fabric, and her S/S 22 collection features recycled materials, from cashmere and nylon to elastane, plus a Frayme Mylo handbag.
For the time being, her mushroom bags will be produced in a limited edition of 100 pieces, and the retail price is higher than an average leather bag, something that may initially discourage consumers. Hopefully, as researches into natural materials continue, we will see more experimental designs using more sustainable resources in innovative ways.
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