Architect and product designer Julian Hakes has generated a lot of buzz surrounding his latest shoe design, the Mojito. First seen on Dezeen and then picked up by Gizmodo, this unique shoe concept has sparked much conversation since no photographs have been released showing an actual foot wearing it.

Unlike a traditional shoe, the Mojito doesn’t have a foot plate. Hakes design supports only the ball and heel which makes the wearer feel like she’s walking on air. The need for less material arose because of our foot’s natural arch which spans the gap between the two support points.

The open concept shoe is made of carbon fiber; laminated with rubber on the side that touches the floor and leather on the side next to the skin. The design consists of a single piece that wraps around the wearer’s foot. Certainly more appropriate for red carpets and special events than a daily walking shoe, the design if functional, will surely garner plenty of attention.

Below are a collection of thoughts from Justin Hakes on his open concept Mojito design:

“My starting point for this and a few other designs is that everything about shoes seemed to be immediately reduced to the visual, and my feeling is this process had led to the shoe becoming stale and more about this season’s colour, fabric and number of straps/height of heel”

“When I thought about high heels I wondered why there was the need for a foot plate. If you look at a foot print in the sand it is very clear to see that the main force goes to the heel and ball.”

“The design of this Mojito shoe is about how you put it on and take it off, it’s about lightness and a sculptural celebration of the foot and the natural strength of the body”

“‘The foot has its own inbuilt strength and support so why duplicate this? You would not have a jumper with rigid arms between elbow and wrist.”

“Shoes have become so entrenched in our culture and people think they should look a particular way. I wanted to challenge that, wanted to show shoes could look different.”

“Most shoes are designed from the outside in – they are designed to look good on the foot. As an architect I did the opposite and designed them from the inside out – I looked at how the foot moves, how it transfers the body’s load.”

Sources
– http://www.dezeen.com/2009/09/23/mojito-shoe-by-julian-hakes/
– Walking on air: The sculptural shoes that turn conventional footwear design head over heels
– Hakes Associates’ photostream

The latest updates from Julian on the Mojito can be found on his Twitter page: @JulianHakes

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