Mallet London presents Gherkin-inspired 3D printed sneaker
3D printed shoes are made in collaboration with Zellerfeld
Luxury shoe brand Mallet London has, for the first time, broken into the 3D printed footwear segment with the launch of Nebula. The sleek, monochromatic sneaker, whose design is a twist on the company’s classic Neptune silhouette, was brought to market in collaboration with Zellerfeld, a production platform and marketplace that enables designers to bring their innovative footwear designs to life using 3D printing.
The 3D printed shoes pay a special homage to Mallet’s home city, London, drawing design inspiration from one of the English capital’s most iconic architectural landmarks, the Gherkin. Those familiar with the skyscraper—which has graced London’s skyline for two decades now—will recognize its characteristic fluid lines and almost-checkerboard like window pattern in the Nebula shoes.
The sneakers, available in four colors—black, oat, orange and red—are 3D printed as a single piece, not only streamlining the production process by eliminating multiple assembly steps, but also making for an easily recyclable mono-material product. The other massive benefit of using 3D printing to create the shoes has to do with customization. Through the Zellerfeld platform, customers are invited to scan their feet to ensure that the made-to-order shoes have the perfect fit.
“The potential for 3D printing in the footwear industry is endless, and we’re thrilled to be working with Zellerfeld to bring this vision to life,” Evren Ozka, founder of Mallet London, said. “Their expertise in 3D printed footwear creation, creating custom-fit shoes that are as stylish as they are functional is exactly what we needed for this collaboration.”
Retailing for $229, the Nebula shoes by Mallet London can now be ordered through Zellerfeld. For the 3D printed footwear platform, its collaboration with the English shoe brand signals a growing interest from the traditional footwear industry to leverage additive manufacturing for mass customization and on-demand production.
“With Zellerfeld, [Mallet] can break free from the limitations of traditional footwear production and unleash completely new ideas. The Nebula is just the beginning,” added Cornelius Schmitt, CEO of Zellerfeld. “With Zellerfeld, the old rules of footwear no longer apply. Brands can move faster, create more radical designs and bring products to market in ways that were never possible before. Mallet is joining an ecosystem of pioneers who are shaping the future of how shoes are made, sold, and experienced.”
Zellerfeld currently works with a number of popular brands, including Nike, Louis Vuitton, Moncler and more. It also hosts a range of 3D printed footwear from up-and-coming designers and artists, such as Syntilay, a startup with involvement from Reebok founder Joe Foster that recently launched AI-designed slides, artist Heron Preston, Khamis Studio, RTFK and more.
