Nike Project
OLD SOLES NEW SOULS
2019
This project was one of the 3 finalists of Nike’s Material Innovation Competition: a sustainable footwear design challenge set to Chelsea College of the Arts textile design students (see full brief here).
Inspired by the Nike Grind project which converts old rubber into a variety of courts pavements, I decided to try and rethink the usage of the different types of wasted rubber. My project combined the crisis of CO2 emissions, with the education for consumers’ atitute towards shoes. This lead me to an emotional response to our shoes and therefore my own practice as a dancer. To close the loop for me it’s still a question on whether can, or can’t we, use materials to perform the same way for several times.
Radical, Restorative, Regenerative. Inspiration on the traditional textile technique from west Japan which explores how materials can play a different role when cut up and woven back together, mainly offering hard materials the possibility of being flexible.
Experimentation on cutting the sole by hand and weaving it on a loom re-designing placement of the rubber when reassembled into a new sole.
One of a set of posters designed to showcase the message and visual concept.
Storefront concept to illustrate the idea of an up-cycling point where customers could hand-in trainers that needed mending, returning with new/usable ones.
↑ Video demonstration of the power of both old and new, the history of breakdance and its practitioners, combining old footage with contemporary.
Accompanied by P.I.C.’s song “Old Sole” and “On Top” by Branko, an up-and-coming portuguese DJ.
© Errin Yesilkaya
Showcase at Nike WHQ
© Errin Yesilkaya
Showcase at Nike WHQ
Showcase at Nike WHQ
Chelsea College of the Arts selected students with Nike team at Nike WHQ