Dior jumps on 3D printed footwear at Paris Fashion Week
Creative Director Kim Jones' look at the future of footwear
Along with the BOTTER x Reebok Venus Comb Murex Shell Sneaker, top French Maison Dior also presented a set of 3D printed shoes during its own Dior Winter 23 by Kim Jones show at the ongoing Paris Fashion Week. The models, 3D printed by a non-specified polymer powder bed fusion process (probably MultiJet Fusion), present a modern approach to traditional Dior “Carlo” designs that include both low-cut shoes and boots.
Things get taken up a notch in this #DiorSavoirFaire video examining the technology and techniques behind the making of a 3D printed shoe for #DiorWinter23 by Kim Jones https://t.co/jwPhBTg6N1. pic.twitter.com/zxwgHpbNTI
— Dior (@Dior) January 22, 2023
Dior, part of the LVMH group, has experimented with 3D printing before, however, these shoe models are the closest the company has ever come to actual commercial products made with 3D printing. The shoes were created under clear instructions by Dior Homme Creative Director Kim Jones to envision a futuristic version of the Carlo models. According to the designers behind the project, the shoes appear solid but, thanks to the particular geometry made possible by 3D printing, they are extremely light and comfortable to wear.
The original Carlo shoes were 3D scanned, then a texture was selected for a “punk” look and feel. After the 3D printing process, the shoes emerge from the powder bed. This is where the class and style of Dior really shine, with elegant finishing touches, from the Dior name to the elegant pattern underneath the outsole. The designers also claim that the material the shoe is made of is up to 80% reusable, although it is not clear how that can be achieved (beyond, of course, the unused powder in the powder bed).
