The CaTalog

“i JusT love The enTire process of creaTing,

so i guess i’m “in ThaT mood” 95% of The day.”

meline kaTchi

02 MeeT KaTChI

Katchi

USe YoUR

haNDS“The New DeSIgNS aTTeMpT To CReaTe a haRMoNIoUS balaNCe beTweeN The exISTINg IDea of MaSCUlINITY aND feMININITY.”

.

01

Materials areSo IMpoRTaNT

“I’M CoNSTaNTlY ThINKINg, DRawINg aND TalKINg aboUT ShoeS. The MoRe I geT expoSeD To fooTweaR The MoRe I love IT.”

MaTeRIalS

Selecting MaTeRIalSA cotton threAd with A polyeSter core which iS Slightly

Stretchy but retAinS the trAditionAl looK of cotton

03 MaN SaNDal

Mfor the ‘Man’ SaNDal

he wAnted to looK cASuAl chic, yet retAin hiSSenSe of MASculinity

oh man

walkthe

walk...a DIffeReNT peRSpeCTIve To whaT The ‘MaSCUlINe’ Male poRTRaYS hIMSelf aS

The ‘MoDeRN MaN’.he MaKeS a bolD STaTeMeNT bY weaRINg TheSe SaNDalS aND DoeSN’T RegReT IT

oNe bIT.

04 MaN SaNDal

Using the principiles of fine tailoring, folding, drap-ing, and rearranging inspired by Mr. Georgiou. The design strengths are evident in the final Man SAN-Dal

”MultidiMenSionAl” by Sotiris georgiou

11 haND MaDe

the entire collection was conceived after an urban observation.

flexibility, security, geometry, symmetry and rhythm

Spring 2012

“I haD No IDea ThaT DeSIgNINg CoUlD be SUCh a ThRIll, aND M.KaTChI MaKeS IT looK So eaSY.” _MoNIqUe aDINa _IN-DepeNDeNT faShIoN bloggeR

05 MaN SaNDal

Slip on & SaNDal

06 MaN SaNDal

“The aesTheTic of The line is ‘refined simpliciTy.’ The rich maTerials and color

paleTTe allow The shoe To work as a funcTional arT piece. The sophisTicaTed

primiTive man or woman is a personificaTion of The

way my parTner and i build The sopr design language. They’re liTerally made on The fooT, so There is never

a separaTion beTween funcTion and design.”

uni_sex i SaNDalthese uni_sex sandals are made from a

Simplified pattern which are perforated for breathability and texture

08 bReaThe

uni_sex i SaNDalperforation allows for light and air to pass through

and creates an aesthetic design.

TRIo

three Spike SaNDalSoft MAteriAlS uSed to conStruct thiS SAndAl Are

purely repropoSed

TRIo

raw leaTheRS

bY TaKINg USefUl pRoDUCTS aND exChaNgINg TheM, wIThoUT RepRoCeSSINg, ReUSe help Save TIMe, MoNeY, eNeRgY, aND ReSoURCeS.

10 Raw hYDe

trio SaNDalre purpoSing iS to uSe A tool for uSe AS Another tool, uSuAlly

for A purpoSe unintended by the originAl tool-MAKer.

STep

Step down TaIloRthiS pArticulAr deSign wAS creAted

right on the Very foot of the Model. tAlK About A perfect fit

STep

haND SeleCTeD aND STITCheD SUeDeS CoMbINeD w_ vaCheTTa leaTheR TRIM. The SaTURaTeD golD ToNeD haRDwaRe IS The peRfeCT CoMplIMeNT.

tailor MaDe

11 haND MaDe

Selecting a unique color palette is essential when your hardware color is preselected. Here I chose to use gold toned hardware and exaggerate its Potential though these warm tones.

ripe pomogranate

dry sage

ruch plum

Autum orange

12 haND MaDe

classique SaNDaluSing priMitiVe deSignS AS the bASe of the

foundAtion & Adding Modern hArdwAre for SophiSticAtion

The de_saturated hues of this sandal were complimented by a small pop of color from the robust thread tones.Although these are the classic shaped sandal they are bold in their style.

13 haND MaDe

haIR

human hair SaNDalthe preMiSe with thiS SAndAl wAS to uSe A

AlternAtiVe MAteriAl which iS eXtreMely under uSed yet, ViAble

haIR

13a haND MaDe

inspirationfloRIaN DovIlleZ haTS

experimenting w_ 100% human hair

CaN ThIS MaTeRIal fUSeD w_ ReSIN & IRoNeDbeCoMe STRoNg eNoUgh To CReaTe a Shoe wITh?

haIR haS gReaT SoCIal SIgNIf-ICaNCe foR hUMaN beINgS.

14 haND MaDe

“haIR gRowTh begINS INSIDe The haIR

follICle. The oNlY “lIvINg” poRTIoN of The haIR IS foUND

IN The follICle. The haIR ThaT IS vISIble IS The haIR ShafT,

whICh exhIbITS No bIoCheMICal aCTIvITY

aND IS CoNSIDeReD “DeaD”. The baSe of The RooT IS CalleD

The bUlb.”

So so pRIMITIve

haIR IS a fIlaMeNToUS bIoMaTeRIal, ThaT gRowS fRoM follICleS foUND IN The DeRMIS

Feughelman, Max Mechanical prop-erties and structure of alpha-keratin fibres: wool, human hair and related fibres, Sydney, UNSW Press (1996) ISBN 0868403598

100%hUMaNhaIR

hUMaN haIR waS INCoRpoRaTeD IN jewelRY SINCe The laTe 18Th CeNTURY IN MeMeNTo MoRI pIeCeS, To ReMeMbeR a loveD oNe.

15 haND MaDe

16 haND MaDe

lets just sayIT woRKeD

haIRwoRK waS aS popUlaR aS CRoCheTINg oR TaTTINg IN The laTe 1850’S. VIcTorIAN HAIrWork SerVed NoT oNlY aS a MeMeNTo To ReMeMbeR The DeaD, bUT alSo aS “love ToKeNS” .

TSle

exposing whIMISICal TaSSelScreating a uniform pattern, which can comfortably

form to the male and female foot

TSle

16b haND MaDe

tassel TReNDSinspired by the d.i.y. Seasonal trend of tassel

These swingy accessories are elegant and fun and full of whimsy

lets just sayITS oN TReND

afTeR beINg feaTUReD heavIlY oN The Sp 2011 RUNwaYS, TaSSelS have beCoMe a boNa fIDe SUMMeR TReND. TheSe oRNaTe eMbellIShMeNTS CaN be foUND oN belTS & pURSeS To bloUSeS.

over the course of a few weekends, M.Katchi, 1/2 of the genius design team behind Sophisticated primitive, and i put our creative minds together and produced two stellar and uber chic sandals.

As a woman obsessed with

shoes, this opportunity was a dream. getting to design my own sandals alongside

one of the most creative and

gracious women i’ve met to date was amazing.

leInterview

and produced two stellar and uber

18 le INTeRvIew

tassel SaNDalbehind the ShoeS of Meline KAtchi

le Interview

19 CUSToM foR YoU

“oNe of The gReaTeST NeCeSSITIeS IN aMeRICa IS To DISCoveR CReaTIve SolITUDe.”_CaRl SaNDbURg

20 CReaTINg

Shoe obSSeSSeD

haND DRawINg aND CUTTINg The paTTeRN aS I aM IN The CReaTIve pRoCeSS allowS foR peRfeCTINg The‘CobbleRS’ pRoCeSS.

TeSTINg The Shape aND CoN-fIgURaTIoN of The CloSURe oN The fooT ITSelf IS KeY IN CReaTINg a CoheSIve DeSIgN.

Ω

the most STYlISh MaNcreating a uniform pattern, which can comfortably

form to the male and female foot

Ω

The UppeR CReaTeD heRe IS haND CUT fRoM oNe paTTeRN whICh CaN be STReTCheD oveR The fooT aND STRappeD oN To CReaTe a vaRYINg aeSTheTIC.

So so MSaCUlINe

22 haND MaDe

So so harris

below aRe The ChoICeS of ColoRS whICh ThIS SINgle ‘UppeR’ paTTeRN CaN be CUT oN agaIN aND agaIN.

23 whaT ColoR IS Me

Man SaNDalthiS iS Another VerSion of the uni_SeX SAndAl

which iS AgAin puShing the boundArieS of’ SiMpliStic’ deSign

So much ColoR

ColoR haRMoNY DelIveRS vISUal INTeReST aND a SeNSe of oRDeR. haRMoNY IS SoMeThINg ThaT IS pleaSINg To The eYe.

tAnning & leAther finiShing

24 whaT ColoR

1810 goeThe

“wheN MaSCUlINe IS USeD To DeSCRIbe MeN, IT CaN have

DegReeS of CoMpaRISoN—MoRe

MaSCUlINe, MoST MaSCUlINe. The

oppoSITe CaN be expReSSeD bY TeRMS

SUCh aS UNMaNlY. a TYpICal NeaR-

SYNoNYM of MaSCUlINITY IS

vIRIlITY.

roget’s II: The New Thesaurus, 3rd. ed., Houghton Mifflin, 1995.

25 STYlISh STepS

rich colorsoNe paTTeRN

MeN ThRoUghoUT hISToRY have goNe To MeeT exaCTINg CUlTURalSTaNDaRDS of whaT IS CoNSIDeReD aTTRaCTIve.

photography by tara Minshull

looking so ShaRp

MoDeRNITY aIMeD TowaRDS “a pRogReSSIve foRCe pRoMISINg To lIbeRaTe hUMaNKIND fRoM IgNoRaNCe ANd IrrATIoNAlITy” (roSeNAU 1992, 5).

26 IM heRe

“dramatic simplicity” of the day-wear of couturier

STUD

uni_sex STUDDeD SaNDal“dramatic simplicity” of the day-wear of couturier

STUD

So so UNI_Sex

U·NI·Sex_ of, DeSIgNeD, oR SUITable foR boTh SexeS; NoT DISTINgUIShINg beTweeN Male aND feMale; UNdIFFereNTIATed AS To Sex:

28 Me aND YoU

uni_sex SaNDalone SiMply cut yet preciSe

pAttern which coMpliMentS feMAle/MAle

29 jUST The 2 of US

THIS PARTICULAR SANDAL WAS PURELY CONSTRUCTED FROM RE PURPOSED/ DISCARDED LEATH-ERS.

CRoC

bold & beaUTIfUlpairing robust leathers and colors with rustic gold to create a chic/modern look

CRoC

31 STep IN

croc SaNDaleXotic SKinS JuXtApoSed with A electric blue

Suede creAte A drAMAtic bold StAteMent.

croc SaNDaluSing luXuriouS croc JuXtApoSed with

A VibrAnt electric blue Suede

32 oh MY CRoC

croc SaNDalbold And teXtured uSing nAturAl toneS

AS well AS rich/ bold colorS

creating a uniform pattern, which can comfortably form to the male and female foot

STUD

uni_sex STUDDeD SaNDalcreating a uniform pattern, which can comfortably

form to the male and female foot

STUD

edgy UNI_Sex

34 pUNK baCK

The aesthetic of the line is ‘refined simplicity.’ The rich materials and color palette allow the shoe to work as a

functional art piece. TheSophisticated Primitive man

or woman is a Personification of the way my partner and I build the SoPr

design language. our new designs attempt to create a

harmonious balance between the existing idea of masculin-

ity and femininity.

Photography by Monique Adina

35 CReaTINg

So so pRIMITIve

They’re literally made on the foot, so there is never a separation between function and design. attempt to create a harmonious balance between the existing idea of masculinity and femininity

USeD

re_purpused ReUSeDcreating a uniform pattern, which can comfortably

form to the male and female foot

USeD

“USINg IRRegUlaR MaTeRIalS foUND

IN DISCaRDeD bINS & haRDwaRe ReMoveD

fRoM DISCaRDeD haNDbagS.

haND_CUTTINg The SKINS & haND

paINTINg eaCh pIeCe of leaTheR To

CReaTe a CoMpleTe looK. ThIS Shoe haS

a SIDe TIe CloSURe allowINg foR

aDjUSTabIlITY baSeD oN The weaReRS

aNKle SIZe.”

36 haND MaDe

re_purposed SaNDalphotogrAphy by tArA MinShull

primitive YeT TReNDYconcept: take a primitive sandal design and

combine it with the rich trends seen in the high street as well as ready to wear

So so pRIMITIve

The woRD SaNDal DeRIveS fRoM The gReeK woRD SaNDaloN.

37 ClaSSIC

S

TeCh

re_purpused ReUSeDfused deposition modeling (fdM) is used in traditional rapid prototyping

TeCh

39b 3_d PrINTedfRee haND DRawINg befoRe CReaTINg THe Model IN 3_d IS eSSeNTIAl To THe DeSIgNeR.

initial drawings from sketchbookMArKer. pen. Acrylic. tApe

the floAting heelSolidworKS iS A pArASolid-bASed Solid Modeler & utilizeS A

pArAMetric feAture-bASed ApproAch to creAte ModelS.

39 3_d PrINTed

bUIlDINg a MoDel IN SolIDwoRKS USUallY STaRTS wITh a 2D SKeTCh

ThIS hIgh heel IS STaCKeD ABoUT 6 1/2 INcHeS HIGH WITH A 2 1/2 INcH PlATForM. THe PlAT-foRM haS a floaTINg ball INSIDe ITS STRUCTURe.

40 The MoNSTeR

“ThIS Shoe waS CReaTeD aND

deVeloPed oN A 3_d pRogRaM TheN laTeR

pRINTeD IN STaRCh WITH A 3_d PrINTer. The fabRICaTIoN of

ThIS IS aMaZINg beCaUSe IT allowS

foR DeTaIleD ‘SCUlpTURal’

pRoToTYpeS foR fUNCTIoNal

fooTweaR. aS IS Now IT IS ‘oNe of a KIND’.’

41 DoMINaTe

42 DoMINaTe

the process of creating the prototype to check for sizing and general measurements.

3-d

3_d pRINTeDthe process of creating the prototype to check for sizing and

general measurements.

3-d

3-d PrINTING IS A PHrASe USed To deScrIBe The pRoCeSS of CReaTINg ThRee DIMeNSIoNal objeCTS fRoM DIgITal fIle USINg a MaTeRIalS pRINTeR, IN a MaNNeR SIMIlaR To pRINTINg IMageS oN papeR.

44 3_d PrINTed

45 3_d PrINTed

Tcovered TRaNSfoRMeR

thiS wAS A purely conceptuAl Shoe. creAtedto tryconfiguring An AdJuStAbility SySteM

thAt would Allow it to be reSizAble.

ThIS Shoe SaMple waS MaDe IN SolIdWorkS & 3_d PrINTed IN A MaTeRIal CalleD fDM. objeCT pRINT, IS able To aCCepT hIgheR ToleRaNCeS aND MaINTaINS The pReCISIoN of ITS INTeNDeD foRMS.

46 eND of The RoaD

Tthank YoU So MUCh

hope you enJoyed the Show.

Sophisticated Primitiveis a collaboration between designers

MELINE KATCHI&

MESROP MEGRABYAN