French designer Ora-Ïto has developed a conceptual trainer with curved veneer sections to reference the work of Modernist furniture designers Charles and Ray Eames.
Ora-Ïto pays tribute to the late American couple with the Nikeames shoe design, which he imagines could be produced by sports brand Nike.
The wooden sections designed to wrap around the shoe take influence from the moulded plywood shell of the Eames Lounge 670 armchair, designed for Herman Miller in 1956.
"It's an an homage to Charles and Ray Eames' Lounge chair – the most famous one with the wooden shell," Ïto told.
"The idea was to make a Nike Eames, like the Nike Air but playing with the Eames, translating the language and the forms and the aesthetic of the Eames armchair into a trainer."
The shoe would be formed from two layers, with the dark wooden panels on the base, upper and heel curving around a black Goretex slipper. Rubber would form a thin sole on the bottom.
The colours would echo the original rosewood veneer and leather of the original chair, which is formed from three plywood shells and modelled on an English club chair.
"Eames' work is still very modern," Ïto said. "I was at [Milan's] Salone Internazionale del Mobile [in April 2014] because I present furniture there every year, and it was the year of Charles and Ray Eames – they were everywhere."
"Even if they're dead, they're still the most productive designers, which is quite funny," he added.
Although Ïto has only created a quick render to demonstrate the idea, he believes that it is enough to spark discussion and possibly provoke Nike into producing the shoe.
Via Dezeen.com at
http://www.dezeen.com/2014/08/21/ora-ito-nikeames-shoe-concept-charles-ray-eames/
Ora-Ïto pays tribute to the late American couple with the Nikeames shoe design, which he imagines could be produced by sports brand Nike.
The wooden sections designed to wrap around the shoe take influence from the moulded plywood shell of the Eames Lounge 670 armchair, designed for Herman Miller in 1956.
"It's an an homage to Charles and Ray Eames' Lounge chair – the most famous one with the wooden shell," Ïto told.
"The idea was to make a Nike Eames, like the Nike Air but playing with the Eames, translating the language and the forms and the aesthetic of the Eames armchair into a trainer."
The shoe would be formed from two layers, with the dark wooden panels on the base, upper and heel curving around a black Goretex slipper. Rubber would form a thin sole on the bottom.
The colours would echo the original rosewood veneer and leather of the original chair, which is formed from three plywood shells and modelled on an English club chair.
"Eames' work is still very modern," Ïto said. "I was at [Milan's] Salone Internazionale del Mobile [in April 2014] because I present furniture there every year, and it was the year of Charles and Ray Eames – they were everywhere."
"Even if they're dead, they're still the most productive designers, which is quite funny," he added.
Although Ïto has only created a quick render to demonstrate the idea, he believes that it is enough to spark discussion and possibly provoke Nike into producing the shoe.
Via Dezeen.com at
http://www.dezeen.com/2014/08/21/ora-ito-nikeames-shoe-concept-charles-ray-eames/
