Project: To design athletic and dress footwear for that location for a specific NYC location based upon an existing brand. I was assigned Union Square. I chose to design shoes for Vans because this brand represents the Union Square aesthetic and lifestyle. The collection name, Union^2, makes Union Square more similar to Vans existing line, "Sk8." I also have a math motif streaming through. Catch it if you can
I wanted to incorporate all aspects of Union Square. Grey manmade hexagons and organic greenery mesh to create shoes that don't quite work yet still do. I believe that this is representative of the park itself. The label on the Vans in handwritten which is representative of the signs homeless, Occupy Wall-street rallyers, and farmer's market vendors use.
Cram City: Who doesn't love shoving through crowds
Feed: Feed me. I decided not to work and live on the street with my girlfriend. We bought this dog together and wrote this nice sign.
City Farmed: Union Square can't get enough of that farmers market. As if some vegetables are going to make us forget about the cement grounds and skyscrapers that surround it.
Washington's Horse: The statue in the square
Egg Crate, Check Mate: Those chess players who sit on egg crates
Occup-Pie: It's fraudulent intelligence. Sure, it's cool that you've heard of pie but this isn't the right way to spell the term occupy so you don't look smart. It also goes with my math motif
The Great Preformer: Performer but not quite. Have you seen this guy? He's quality entertainment
Foot Traffic
L Evate: The grey line. And the shoes give you a bit of a lift
Hipster Homeless: Homeless because its trendy
NQR Star: The yellow line
456 Kicks: The green line
Left= sneaker
Right= dress shoe
The sole has the Union Square bronze relief embedded in an octagon shape. What a nice memento.
The sole has the Union Square bronze relief embedded in an octagon shape. What a nice memento.
A. Chess cowhide: Shout out to the chess players. Plus squares reflect the square that is Union Square
B. Hexa-horse Hair: Hexagon pattern that forms the ground of Union Square. Horse hair to represent the horse statue in the park
C. Silver Cowhide: Theres a lot of metal. Mostly scaffolding
D. Off-white Suede
E. Park Green Suede: The color of the building + garbage cans. Yum. And also its a park
F. Chess
G. Golden Lambskin
H.Lettuce Canvas: Lettuce and other greens found at the farmers market
I. Soling leather
J. Grey Cowhide: So much grey. Grey on grey on grey
K. Bronze Relief: Shows the parks history. The park as sole
L. Enamel coated brass: It's like having a piece of the garbage can on your shoe!
M. Hexa TPR: So the bottom of your shoe can match the ground that it walks on
N. Trashed TPR: Clean rubber would look like this in a days time anyway
O. Beveled TPR: A clean Union Square is a fraud Union Square
