BA (Hons) Cordwainers Footwear: Product Design and Innovation
For our University final major project I created FR&&K. The brand supports freedom in all its aspects and to do so collaborate with well estabilished brands to reinforce their message in fashion. The first shocking collaboration is with Durex. Working for Adidas and Vivobarefoot has made me question and re-think the concept of footwear. Humans have evolved for hundreds of thousands of years without the need for footwear. Shoes originated to fulfil the need to protect feet from heat, cold and other hazardous conditions that could cause injury. My understanding of footwear has reinforced my belief that the foot should be afforded maximum protection possible without compromising the foot anatomy. Studies show that the foot benefits by having the least amount of material possible separating it from the ground, so that the body can pass as much information as possible to the brain. Vivobarefoot shoes mimic the natural way of walking and running, therefore, improving feeling, posture, circulation and balance. These principles inspired the realization of my final collection. Barefoot shoes are all about promoting natural feeling, freedom and fun, thus the same can be said about Durex**. The feet and the genitals have among the highest concentration of nerve endings in the body, which are all interacting continuously with the brain. There are 7000 nerve endings in the feet alone and these receptors relay important information to the brain about the texture and temperature of the floor. The intention of this project is to generate a greater awareness of what natural walking and running could do to improve our lives. Seen from the outside the shoes look like trainers, but inside the inner construction embraces the foot in a seamless hug around the heel, while one of the thinnest outsoles in the market is hidden underneath. +44 (0)78 26514906 +39 349 8549520 adrianopiccinini@gmail.com *Durex is a trademark of Reckitt Benckiser. All rights reserved. **The project is a hypothetical collaboration and Durex is not involved in this project.