Our Group
Rebekah Mercs, Glen Downie, Karim Nuruddin, Nathaniel White
The Brief
Design a new cohesive four-part collection for Nike ACG fall 2023.
The Problem
How might we design a new collection for Nike ACG that incorporates west coast aesthetics, and can be worn in the city and in the trails?
Target Demographic
Our target demographic were males ages 18-24, "casual adventurers" living in the Pacific Northwest.
The Solution
Wild Side is a collection that uses biomimicry inspired by animals local to British Columbia to emulate the aesthetics of the Pacific Northwest.
The Collection
Wild Side is a collection that uses biomimicry inspired by animals local to British Columbia to emulate the aesthetics of the Pacific Northwest. We were inspired by some of the animals that we feel make coastal BC so special: the Humpback Whale, the Giant Pacific Octopus, the Mallard Duck, and the Orca Whale.
Each of the four shoes in our collection was targeted at a different section of our market. Acrobat (my design) was our "blue sky"/high fashion shoe, Submergence by Karim Nuruddin was our high-end shoe, Octogrip by Glen Downie was our mid-market shoe, and Nathaniel White's Orca inspired design was our entry-level shoe.
Each of the four shoes in our collection was targeted at a different section of our market. Acrobat (my design) was our "blue sky"/high fashion shoe, Submergence by Karim Nuruddin was our high-end shoe, Octogrip by Glen Downie was our mid-market shoe, and Nathaniel White's Orca inspired design was our entry-level shoe.
ACROBAT
Acrobat is named after the animal it is inspired by, the Humpback Whale, as they are often referred to as the acrobats of the sea. This nickname also inspired the fitted knit material on the upper of the shoe, as its form-fitting stretch replicated the fit of an acrobat's uniform.
I was inspired by the colours and textures found on Humpback whales. Their brown bristly teeth inspired the sole of the shoe, and their curvilinear ridged skin inspired the upper and overall form of the shoe.
As I was designing the "blue sky"/high fashion shoe, I was asked to invent a new closure system. The closure I created is inspired by the interlocking of the Humpback whales' teeth. As shown in the front view drawing, one side of the closure would cross over the other side and hook into it.