Shoes & Bags for Change by Designskolen Kolding

shoes & bags for change

Design, editing Michael Frederiksen, Just Add Design

+ The Shoes & Bags for Change project is part of the strategic collaboration between Design School Kolding and ECCO. This book was printed with support from ECCO.

Photography Michael Frederiksen and the student groups.

Proofreading Marianne Baggesen Hilger

Participants from ECCO Ella Madsen, Scott Lee Roberts, Louise Vanggaard Hansen, Gitte Goller Munksgaard Huus, Sarah Bertmann, Kimmie Brinch, Emma Collins, Bjarne Zaedow, Mette Jensen, Helena Steffensen, Iben Thode Johansen, Louis Gogeon, Cecilie Bak Lindhardt Fabricius, Alduino Junior Goulart do Amaral, Helle M. Schmidt, Kano Afify.

Design School Kolding Departments of fashion, textile, accessory and industrial design Ågade 10 6000 Kolding +45 76301100 dk@designskolenkolding.dk www.designskolenkolding.dk ISBN 978-87-93416-62-8 (printed version) ISBN 978-87-93416-63-5 (digital version)

shoes & bags for change

Foreword

Our partnership with ECCO is very important to us at Design School Kolding. Our interaction with the world and our relationships with companies are all important. This is where we create meaningful learning spaces for our students and fruitful collaborative innovation with industry and organisations. The year 2021 has been unique in this respect. Due to corona, we have been forced to transform how we work as a school, and the ECCO course was literally disrupted by all the restrictions we were faced with. However, the Covid-19 situation ended up becoming an unexpected gift showing us unexpected results. For the first time, the course resulted in: 1) A vibrant, dynamic and inspiring workshop setting in the open canteen area that invited not only 3rd year BA students but many other students in to attend the presentations by internal and external lecturers. 2) Even stronger digital competences and an even stronger knowledge base for the school through consequent use of VR. Most importantly, it also made ECCO more curious about using VR as a tool. 3) Increased focus on craft techniques and traditions because the students had to make the shoes by hand at the school.

by Lene Tanggaard Rector of Design School Kolding

4) Successful interplay between physical and online teaching for students, ECCO, external and internal players. 5) Creation of inspiring and appealing exhibition spaces to stage the co-lab collections that made an impression on the whole school and ECCO. So by having to rethink it we have in fact reinvented the course. And according to Line Rumhult, our excellent course manager, the most important eye-opener has been the positive effects of opening up the course externally and internally, which has made the synergy between the school and ECCO even more powerful. As an educational institution, and perhaps the smallest university in the world, we want to reflect and even sometimes be ahead of our time. This is the only way for us to continuously achieve what we want, which is to be an experimental and pioneering school. In this light, 2021 became a perfect mark for the 10-year anniversary of our partnership agreement with ECCO. As rector it is my hope that this collaboration and partnership will continue to bear fruit. Thank you.

matilde gro larsen domile cepaityte magnus seide mathilde gudrun larsen

A shoe collection which extends digital life in cyberspace to moments offline. The collection incorporates glitches as metaphors for jumping between the two worlds.

acid kittens

The physical world becomes only a secondary platform for personal expression.

Cyberspace – an online environment where experiences are crafted and simulated – might become the place where we build our identities and spend most of our time.

acid kittens

Most likely, the fashion trends will start in cyberspace and echo out into the physical realm as people attempt to piece together the dual cyber-physical existence into a more consistent individuality.

acid kittens

Therefore, our collection exists divided between the two spaces. The mothership shoe exists in cyberspace, benefiting from the lack of physical limitations, while the market and mixture designs are in the physical world as extensions of the online avatar temporarily going offline.

acid kittens

acid kittens As a group we found a shared fascination with glitches – minor digital temporary malfunctions. They suggest something mysterious and unknowable, inflicted by stuff outside of the creator’s control. The glitch was the seed for our concept, leading us to the idea of jumping between the physical and the cyber worlds and using the glitches that occur during the jump.

Humans, tired of mass production, are attracted to unique products. There is no such thing as “unique” in digital environments, but accidental glitches seem to create these rare authentic experiences.

acid kittens

karoline lind bøttern caroline bjørn andersen filippa geslin ida lønne thora thestrup okkels

ækkå

Totem Bag Collection is designed for those days when it feels like the world is against you and you feel stuck inside of yourself - mentally and physically. The bag’s main function is being a totem, a reliable symbol that the wearer can count on time and time again. The relationship between stagnation and movement fuels this interaction. Flowing lines and moveable parts meet hard corners, and soft leather meets cool metal, inspiring the wearer to get up and move. Every time you overcome stagnation the bag draws more power to give back to you again later.

ækkå

The aim of the mixture bag is to motivate the wearer to engage in social interactions. The bag is the perfect fit for relaxed strolls or boozy picnics – a bottle of wine fits snugly inside.

We want to move the understanding of ECCO as a brand, attempting to capture the desire of a younger user group by adding value to function at a more mental state.

ækkå

Each bag has both a handle and multiple straps, providing the wearer with different ways of carrying them.

The mothership bag is all about these handles. The straps are adjustable and the look of the bag will change over time as the wearer interacts with it. The big metal handle provides a steady point to hang on to, and through the interaction between body and bag a relationship evolves.

ækkå

Totem Bag Collection is made to last. Exclusive materials and beautifully crafted details ensure a long and aesthetically pleasing lifetime for your bags – one where you can keep exploring the shapes and feeling the connection between bag and body.

Factory-in-a-Box

At ECCO we understand that one of the most compelling incentives for students of Design School Kolding to participate in the annual ECCO shoe design project is the chance to visit the ECCO Design and Development studios. These visits traditionally offer the chance for passionate young designers to wrap their hands around the innovative premium leathers hanging on our tannery racks, inspect first-hand the immersive apparatus of last-making and moldmaking and explore the nearly alchemical phenomenon of our FluidformTM production technology with its unique phasechange process where a viscous liquid transforms into a soft, responsive solid before your eyes. We know these direct and intimate exposures to ECCO’s facilities must constitute at least a brief submersion into the real and a temporary respite from the theoretical that characterizes much of a student experience. So, we were also very keenly aware of the potential heartbreak that might have resulted when the unavoidable restrictions of global pandemic forced us to suspend this element of the project for participants in this year’s edition of the program. By the time this reality collided into our project-planning, the pandemic had already motivated those of us at ECCO to innovate our way through and around key milestones in our own development calendars. Like everyone around the world, our teams urgently reimagined the conventional face2face summit

by Liam Maher VP & Global Creative Director, Products ECCO

meetings, reviews and launches that have been consistent touchstones for our process for decades. Now we were forced (inspired) to fashion new ways of interacting that blended the best of the physical world with the dynamic potential of the digital world. And now we needed to work with the team at Kolding to reimagine this year’s annual ECCO Shoe Project. My work schedule prevented me from being as close to each phase of this year’s project as I had hoped to be. Truth be known I would very happily spend all day everyday with the Kolding students if I could. But I was able to share in the moment when the student teams received and explored their Factory-in-a-Box packages which had been created and filled by the team at ECCO under the watchful eye of ECCO color & material designer and Kolding Alumni, Emma Collins. While it might not have matched the experience of visiting our actual factory, the energy unleashed when those Factory-ina-Boxes were opened confirmed that this project would not be handicapped by the pandemic at all. At ECCO, as I’m sure at most other global footwear brands, we are intensifying our commitment to consumer-centricity. And like many other companies, we’re learning how, when, and where to listen and learn from consumers from our marketing team. More than ever, they stress the importance of what are rapidly becoming universal values: A fresh new take on pragmatic versatility, a serious commitment to sustainability and fundamental quality, a harmonizing of IRL tactility and

intimacy with of-the-moment digital engagement. These signals are coming through our trend-forecasting agencies, our strategy consultation firms, our search-engine analytics and a myriad of other resources. But when our team sat down as an audience to hear each Kolding student-team explain how they envisioned the archetype consumer of their own footwear and bag concepts, it became clear to us that perhaps we needn’t have invested in these other surveys. This year’s Kolding teams articulated these self-same values in ways that were direct, relevant, dynamic and potent. All in all, it convinces us that we are in the middle of an authentic zeitgeist. And that even in a world filled with too much stimulation, too many messages, too much targeting, too much salesmanship, too much polarization, too many health risks, too many environmental risks, too much social pressure, etc. The zeitgeist we’re feeling is profoundly optimistic. Within it passionate visionaries are finding bucketloads of hope. They’re focusing their sharpened minds on the ample opportunities for humanistic innovation. And they’re putting their shoulders to the grindstones of the real work – research, quality, craftsmanship and genuine originality. Again, this year my ECCO colleagues come away deeply reassured that our industry will fall to capable, sincere and talented hands when these students emerge from their education and bring their passion, acumen and unique sensibilities into their future careers. The future customers who they service have something truly exciting to look forward to. And so do we.

anders donskov julie mikkelsen lisbeth højmark amanda karmark bro

archive Our collection celebrates change as it happens between set events. We design for the state of being in between, for beauty in use and for celebrating long standing sustainable ECCO values: quality, repairability, durability and a long aesthetic lifetime. We want to explore the gap, the cycles, the movement of the in-between. Our collection is an attempt to display change embodied.

archive

The market sandal is designed with respect for the past and with eyes on the horizon. It is built to last a lifetime of use and staying comfortable and beautiful through the changing seasons of fashion. It is a classic women’s heeled sandal, constructed with a double stitched sole for durability and ease of replacement when worn out. It is outfitted with a simple tension lock for ease of use and optimal personalised fit.

jonas lewis junkel tutte dohn murmann johanne høgh julie kristensen

calm cow collective In this day and age, way too many people suffer from anxiety and stress induced by our high speed society and the many expectations of ourselves and others. We float around in space, forgetting ourselves in the process. This is what we aim to change. We want to bring people back down to earth and make time for slow walks and using their senses, appreciating the changes slowness creates and the slow changes that happen over time.

calm cow collective

The collection tries to fit into a unisex universe, not too feminine but not masculine either. It is usable both at the office and in the city, but also for taking slow walks in nature.

calm cow collective

The collection was created in a process of exploring the slowness of life at a time when we had stressful deadlines and big projects to finish. We chose to prioritise slow progress and a comfortable, sustainable teamwork over inner and outer expectations. Our teamwork is based on calmness and balance and our understanding of each other’s skill sets and strengths, mirroring the concept of the collection.

The sole of the shoe gives the wearer a great sense of the ground below, contrasting the organic shapes of the shoe. We use light grey leather for the main part of the shoe to give the shoe a softer look. Dark blue knit keeps the appearance heavy, while wavy structures in the knit triggers thoughts of soft waves and ripples in silent waters.

calm cow collective

Throughout our process we tried to challenge the idea of the conventional women’s shoe, which is often small and dainty. We played with proportions to create a heavier looking shoe, which visually pulls the foot down and grounds the wearer.

calm cow collective

Emotionful Design

As a prototyper at ECCO R&D in Bredebro for the last four years, I’ve seen the impact of large groups of Design School Kolding students taking over the whole R&D facility and its team. For the last ten years these free spirited collections bring new possibilities and challenges to the ECCO design and production table. This yearly event became part of ECCO always pushing technical boundaries in the craft of producing shoes. A challenge for both parties; for the young designers to find out that designing shoes is so much more than producing shoes only, and for the ECCO R&D team to stretch its limits by opening its facility. During this event I looked over shoulders and peeked between stitching machines at what was cooked up by the teams. I was amazed and inspired by the end results shown on the long tables in the corridors at ECCO R&D. When I was asked by the Design School Kolding team if I could join this edition of the Kolding x ECCO project as one of the supervisors, of course I was excited to participate. Designers are being asked, more than ever before, what additions, solutions and enrichment can design bring in the lives

by Alexander Fielden Shoes and Leather Goods Designer

of the people in an age where the outcome of over-production, over-consuming and earth pollution is so clearly present. An evaluation of our lives and the way we live, is of necessity. Without experiencing some discomfort and stress in our lives, we will never experience change and growth. We will never deepen our general consciousness and wisdom. Look at how lobsters grow. A lobster’s inner soft body grows and expands until the exoskeleton becomes too confined for it to grow further. So it needs to shed its rigid shell. The painful pressure builds up and the lobster becomes stressed and irritated. Exposing the soft inner body is vulnerable and life threatening. Finally it has to surrender. It finds a safe place under a rock, sheds the shell and stays fully exposed for as long as it takes to grow a new adapted shell. This evolutionary process can only occur on the basis of repeated unease. For a lobster this evolving comes as a natural process. It simply reacts to its unease and does what needs

to be done. We humans don’t have such a weak body so we don’t need such a shell. But we have created shells such as clothing, with which we protect our bodies. Clothing adapted to our activities, surroundings, moods and feelings. For more protection we have built ourselves houses, which bring us comfort and safety. Clothing and housing don’t create painful pressure, so there’s no discomfort and stress, so there is no necessity for change and growth from that point of view. Comfort becomes a problem here. So when does the moment come for unease to arise again in western society? There is so much comfort in our lives that any form of real unease will be brushed away or not even noticed because of this comfort and these distractions. We surround ourselves with all different types of comfort: furniture, products, foods, art and design, electronic devices, 5G, wifi, all the computer gadgets possible that bring all the entertainment we want. We’ve created all types of transport with which we can move all around the globe. All of this together with a mobile phone within reach to connect us with all fellow human

beings in the world in any platform we want. What a marvellous evolution of mankind and what a powerful expression of the human mind… what a shell we have grown for ourselves. Overall the more we have, the more we are distracted from the fact that life is constantly changing and moving and we can not hold on to any of it. There is a deep unbalanced relationship between the man-made world and the core essence of our existence, the Earth. The world and the earth are not the same place. The world arose from the earth through the means and doings of humankind. Like a mother gives birth to her children. Only humankind got so involved in its world of toys that it forgot the mother. We sucked her dry and now the big tit is empty. I believe this is a very good thing. Because we have the possibility to get in the realm of unease again to make us aware of the imbalance we have caused. With the pandemic in 2020 the feeling of unease arose in our lives on a world scale level. It had impact on our freedom, feeling of safety, social network, traveling, work and schooling,

our spending habits and social communications. We feel the unease in the lack of the comfort we have grown so used to, so attached to. So we discover that the feeling of comfort not only arises when our materialistic needs are met, but moreover when we are free, safe, and emotionally well. This is where the design teams of the 2021 project come in. Most design teams took an emotional approach in forming their concept outlines. They kept their theme close to their own experiences and were deeply influenced by the personal effects of the lockdown. Influenced by the effects of social distancing, isolation, confined traveling, intensified digital communication, teleconferencing and so forth. Many personal experiences came up: stress related issues, depression, lack of connection, absence of peace, fear of missing out (FOMO). As ECCO has always been inspired by the ever flowing and magical element of nature, most designs are based on the aesthetics and technical mimicry of nature and are well-proven and successful design features.

What I found interesting to see was that the DSK design groups took the elements of mostly nature as an introspection. They went into nature and asked themselves questions like; What is the experience of being in nature? What does it do to the state of body, mind and soul? How does it feel? What quality does it bring to our lives? Which elements and aesthetics of nature can we use/mimic to express these inner experiences? And so shoes become an important part of experiencing life, influencing emotional wellbeing. They become carriers of consciously moving around in life. A topic close to my heart as that is the core value expressed in the alter-ego of my work ‘The Wanderer’. This emotionful design that I saw emerging from the design groups I consider a part of further deepening of sustainable design or environmentally conscious design. It enriches our connections with our inner state of being, connections with our fellow human beings and connections with our planet Earth.

sarah blom belfakir anaïs dahl perret josefine angel thomas rahbek

In the initial phase of the project, we were inspired to look at ECCO’s values and the beginning of the ECCO brand. We encountered the foot shaped shoe, a shoe created to meet a need for shoes to fit the foot, in an industry where feet conforming to the shape of shoes were the norm. ECCO were frontrunners in creating shoes fitting every moment, and continue to meet the needs of the consumers, supplying them with shoes for every walk of life. We wanted to design into ECCO’s principles and create shoes for this very moment.

escargot

escargot The Escargot x ECCO shoe is inspired by those times of confinement and uncertainty which have evoked an innate need for embracement, softness and connectedness in most people. As our interactions and social world become virtual, our physicality craves sensuousness, and we have responded by draping our bodies in comforting knit and grounding boots.

Since the beginning of the pandemic our homes have taken over many functions, and we have experienced how we can transform our bedroom into a workplace. In the same way, we wanted to create a shoe which fits into many different contexts. A shoe ready to adapt to the moment.

escargot

The Escargot collection is created for those who are moving with intention, working from home and courageously adapting to the changes and unpredictability of everyday life, those who need to commute comfortably through the day, from desktop zoom meetings and garden lounging to grocery shopping.

escargot

The shoes are unisex, made for young men and women in transition – people seeking authenticity and a deeper meaning to the products they consume. Not just a functional object, but a product for expressing their identity.

With our quilted leather shoes, we want to emphasize the softness and comfortness of feeling the safety and security of the home. The shapes are organic, padded with memory foam that shapes around the foot as an extension of the softness and shapes of the body. For the collection, we created a woven textile, combining green and purple threads. The shoe colours are embracing light pastels, complimented by hopeful brightness of white and earthy tones of green and beige.

escargot

mads lillelund poulsen marianne nielsen viola emilie wrede amalie grauengaard

A collection of bags for a woman who values clean lines, craftmanship and a surplus of emotional meaning.

kaffeklubben

The bag is the last thing you put on before you leave the comfort of your home to face the world. As a wearer, you have a perception of the design from both an inner and outer perspective. In our collection we explore this duality.

The bags are not aimed at any specific age group but have a broad reach. Our user values her time by herself and has been content with the situation of being on her own during isolation. She is now faced by the challenge of reentering the world and interacting in public settings like work and studies, away from the comfort of her own home. The bag is a piece of her home, a private space she carries with her.

kaffeklubben

You carry your personality both physically and emotionally in the bag. People you encounter on your journey will have an outer perception, but as a wearer you will have the security of the inner perception as well. We can not be sure how the world will evolve, but the bag can give you the strength and courage to be a part of it. We achieve this by using clear and recognizable shapes that define the outside and relate to the body’s curvature, translating the ergonomic and close fitting approach of ECCO’s shoes to the design of the bags.

kaffeklubben

The inner of the bag must provide a soft, homely and comforting feeling. We achieve this by using a soft and light lining. When reaching inside the bag for your personal belongings, you delve inside a comforting universe. The oversized lining is also large enough to be pulled out and used as a comforter.

Through our collection, there are clear references between the shape of the three designs, all of which make use of soft shapes in all aspects of the bag, inviting the body to interact with them. The collection works with a clear progression in size and placement on the body.

kaffeklubben

Teamwork and Creativity

How to succeed with a team and within a team depends on many factors. The result of a team can be fantastic or a disaster. As a team member you can feel like flying or falling or not getting out of the hole at all. But what are the factors that influence this, and how can we influence them? First of all, it’s all about the right chemistry between the people. If the chemistry is right, it will be a fantastic journey, a journey that you could not take alone. A good team is lifting each other up, inspiring each other with new ideas and bringing each other forward. When you are stuck with an idea, someone else has an idea and helps you out of this dead end. That is really the beauty of teamwork. It is like a ping-pong game of ideas, by throwing the ball the idea develops and gets better and better. Within my career I have experienced different scenarios. Having a great team helped me immensely to grow and develop my skills much further than what is possible to achieve alone. A great team member can give you valuable feedback and I am very grateful for the many people who were part of my journey of developing my skills and becoming better every day. But I have also experienced teams where I felt frustrated. I started to ask myself if it is because of my own abilities, I started to have doubts and question myself. However, after some years of experience I also learned, that sometimes it is just not right and has nothing to do with my own skills if you are a dedicated person.

by Solveig Gubser Designer at ECCO Accessories

I’m sure many of the students experience the same when being thrown into a completely new team. But look at it as a chance. It is an opportunity to learn from others and to learn about yourself. Nevertheless the chemistry is not always right. We are not always blessed with the perfect team from the beginning. Sometimes we need to invest energy to make the team grow together in order to succeed.

What makes teamwork so valuable and special is the synergies that can develop between different talents, different ways of working and different opinions. To be able to accept and use those synergies will make your team fly. But it is also important to find out in which stages of the process it is more productive to work alone and when are the good moments to share and discuss ideas. People in a team have very different personalities. Some are

To work within a team is to reach the peak together. Therefore forget your ego. Don’t try to shine alone, try to shine together. If there is one big ego in the team, all the other ideas will die. There will be only one flower and not a meadow of flowers. The diversity and development of ideas will be very limited, as all thoughts are left out. Research also shows, that teams with non-team-players are not successful. Within a team it is important to:

extrovert, others are more introvert. But don’t underestimate

• • • •

Last but not least, don’t focus on the end result, focus on the

Trust each other Be open Work hard & exchange ideas Forget your ego

Working in a team also helps you to discover yourself and your own abilities. It is also ok to realize that you prefer to work alone, or you discover that some parts of the process you need to do alone, and other tasks are great to do with people.

the quiet ones! Just because some people say less does not mean they know less or have fewer ideas. They even might be the ones that bring you most forward, because they are often very good observers and might grab points that others just overlook. Always make sure they have the space to express themselves and you will get some very valuable input.

process – because this will bring you faster to your great ideas than when you want to force it. Teamwork is about achieving a goal together, working on a product together, but also getting to know yourself better and working on your own abilities through constant confrontation with yourself and the team, basically developing also your soft skills and making the work human.

anna schroll feldmeier jacob alberto møller baron maya louise hempel-jørgensen signe sjøstrand

How can we transfer the sensual experience and uncontrolled nature of the west coast through a shoe design for humankind’s living in the controlled city? We have designed a collection for the urban environment – a place in need of more nature.

imprint

We have explored the west coast of Denmark and combined forms, structures and colours from the landscape into a digital universe representing the transition between city and nature.

imprint

The collection revolves around the idea of imprints: Concrete imprints like straws imprinted in clay have been translated into a knitted material, and traces of heather in the landscape into the lines of the shoes. Abstract imprints in the atmosphere surrounding the collection. Colours and forms defined by the calmness and wild nature of the west coast.

imprint

The shoes are marketed in a box with a photo of the west coast and a message for the consumer telling how he or she is part of the sustainable journey.

imprint The west coast nature is both mild and wild in its expression. This is reflected in the structure and colours of the knits used in the diffferent shoes of the collection, ranging from calm and easy to more rough and wild.

The contrasting process of transforming our analogue nature inspiration like a photo of straw into digital shapes and knitted patterns has worked in parallel with the overall concept’s contrast between city and nature.

imprint

emilie weiss ida hyldgaard sejr jespersen josephine husted laura sánchez

ilje

The ILJE collection consists of three different backpack designs: The first and most basic version of this collection is an organic shaped crossbody backpack to which you can attach a tog bag, a rain cover, and a fanny bag. The second version is a thin and classic rectangular shaped backpack to which you can attach a tog bag and a cross body bag. For the third and final version of this collection the stylish rectangular shaped backpack is kept, to which a single elegant tog bag is attached in a cross-section manner on the front of the backpack, highlighting the unique string system and high-quality materials used. In all three backpacks a beautiful carabine and string system is used to attach the extra bags.

ilje “Hello, I’m Nadia, and I’m a university student living in Copenhagen. I would say my lifestyle as a student is a bit hectic, you know, always a tight schedule. I’m always on the go – from school to work, to the gym, then home and back. Since money is limited, for me it’s very important that the things I wear on a daily basis are long lasting, comfortable, and functional … But I must admit that looks are important for me, and so I always try to find something special”

We hear you, Nadia! ILJE has created a backpack collection that fulfils your wishes and needs. This collection takes inspiration in the way sea creatures adapt to their environment. ILJE is actually many bags in one – it is a modular system with a beautiful and unique draping design that adapts to your needs. But…what about matching styles? The bag simply goes with everything! ILJE design has earthy neutral colors that makes the bag compatible with different outfit styles from sporty to the most fashionable.

ilje

The devil is in the detail, and ILJE collection has not forgotten about this. The soul and signature of the collection is the playful balance between ECCO´s hardware and ILJE´s colorful geometric shapes, which together with the string system provides a lively and elegant tone.

Let’s not forget about our promise to the Planet! ILJE collection takes into consideration the full life cycle of the backpacks in its design, from production to the disposal of the product. The collection is made of separable pieces that can be purchased and used alone or collected and assembled in different ways over time. The single use of ECCO´s high quality leather in this product makes it easier to repair and reintroduce to the market.

ilje

rasmus trøst simonsen mathilde hahn pei lunde christensen louise gad

Our shoe collection is an invitation to a more youthful audience who is aware of how climate change will affect us – that nature shouldn’t be taken for granted but rather be explored and cared for. A high quality, comfortable collection made to last – the core values of ECCO. And a collection which embraces the need for expressing yourself through what you wear, supporting your freedom to go wherever you want.

møller

The collection is made for our persona, a 25-year-old male, who sees fashion as a way of expressing himself. He cares a lot for the environment and believes that the right fashion trend to follow is one that is multifunctional, high quality and useful in different wearing situations. He lives in Copenhagen and works as a photographer’s apprentice. Although his life is in the city, he loves to explore and observe nature, believing the best approach to understanding the environmental challenges is to go out and experience them.

møller

Our concept is built around our five core values: Outdoor diversity – the ability to always be prepared for any kind of weather and untried paths, which means the materials need to be strong and weather resistant. Multifunctionality – the shoe’s ability to adapt to a tighter fitting when trekking or a more loose fit when strolling in one’s neighborhood.

møller

møller Contrast – a shoe collection that communicates its different wearing moments by contrasting leather and gore-tex, calm colors and neon splashes, smooth surfaces and textured layers.

møller Modularity – all the shoes in our collection have the ability to switch and change elements like laces or hardware to adapt to the user’s needs or extend the lifetime of the shoes. Some designs also have removable parts like a pocket or a slingback strap. Fashionable – our shoes are reflecting the fashion trends that are flowing right now, and the trends to come. They are not restraining its user for only one aspect of life, but support your freedom to change your mind and track.

møller

This shoe collection is an interpretation of the fashion trend ‘Gorpcore’ which joins the ever-changing lifestyle and movement of the city with the functionality and performance elements you need when walking through the woods.

Embracing the power of digital and VR creation

Change can be quite intimidating, especially in our fast moving world with technology, digitalization and virtual reality. As they are constantly evolving and improving, keeping up with this is not an easy task. However, it is a fact that they are essential in our modern world. It is important to be open to all its possibilities; and, especially Covid-19 has taught us that we need to move more digital than ever. When I stepped into the virtual reality world - especially into Gravity Sketch - about two years ago during my last year of school, I couldn’t believe what happened in my creative mind. My mind turned from having creative limitations to endless possibilities, ideas and visions. I had seen them before but hesitated to pursue them due to their complexity. Now all of a sudden they became possible. During my studies in Industrial Design I was learning a couple of 3D programs, such as, Rhinoceros 3D, Solidworks, Fusion 360, etc.; however, I was always facing so many problems in those programs, either the surface was too complex or the form was broken. So, I had to find a way around, either I could fake it or I had to change my design, which unfortunately forced me to always design with those limitations. But once I stepped into Gravity Sketch, everything I imagined was possible, blockades and doors were unlocked and I could create whatever I wanted - and that even within a couple of hours. The endless possibilities in digital design, especially in VR Gravity Sketch, was for me the most important message I wanted to convey to the students. In the second week of this course I introduced them to this VR program, all the benefits of it, showing other designers’ work and the intuitive interaction in it. After the introduction I saw groups which were very excited while others had some hesitation and some were clear that they did not want to try it out. It was the first time this course was using VR, so we wanted

by Elisa Payer Independent Footwear and Apparel Designer

to push each group to give it a try, at least step into a new world and play with it. From there on it was their choice with what program they wanted to build the 3D models. Once the groups were closer to their designs, I started doing workshops; so, we all put our Oculus headsets on and navigated with our controllers. I guided them through the program and introduced them to the easiest tools to build shoes and bags. Luckily, Gravity Sketch is such an intuitive program, that the user quickly understands its interaction; and, even better to build shoes or bags you really do not need more than three different tools. It was very interesting to see how the students reacted once they stepped into VR. For some teams we had to push them for days to at least give it a try and others picked it up within seconds.

more control. Nothing was more fun than working directly with them, supporting them to bring their vision to life and to see how proud they were of their final digital creation.

In the third week, we saw more and more teams designing in VR and then we were surprised how each team decided to build their 3D model with Gravity Sketch. Students who did not even want to step into VR were the first ones who finished their design. When I was seeing this change, I realized why VR has not spread that far yet, the quick growth and development of technology can be quite overwhelming. And, I do really understand that it can be intimidating as it is a whole new world, but I also can only encourage each creator to just give it a try and to be open to the constant change of digitalization and technology. Because maybe, you will also be surprised.

It was my very first time being a teacher, as I graduated in 2020, and I had not idea what to expect from this course. When Line Rumhult emailed me about her interest, explained to me what this course is about and why they would love to have me join - I immediately said “YES”. This sponsored ECCO course is unbelievably unique; and I cannot put into words how impressed I have been each day by everything - especially also by Line’s work of organizing all this. I got immensely inspired during my time in Kolding, the school, ECCO, this course, the students, their creations and the teachers. Following the students from day one to their final presentations, evoke every spark in me and these sparks are still sparkling now. It was such a blast to be showing the students the power of digital creation, to open doors into the abundant possibilities it has to offer and more importantly to challenge them to step into the virtual reality world. And, I can only say for my last words here, it was truly my greatest honor to be a part of this year’s ECCO course as a guest teacher and I would do it all over again; thank you for having me!

Guiding the students to their final 3D model was a mixture of group workshops and sitting down with them individually. Sometimes the students came up to me with their final sketch, questions or issues and asked me what the best way was to build this. On some days, I sat next to them for hours and explained them step by step how to use the tools, how to press which button on the controller or how to move these two controllers around to get

I seriously hope that I was able to convey the power of digital design, especially Virtual Reality. I do truly believe that it holds so many advantages for our future, and the more and the earlier students get to create with it the better. But I also believe that understanding the analogue, traditional and hand-on process is like the alphabet to design, we all need to know the alphabet to be able to understand a language. The digital creation is, for example, the new language, and each designer has the chance to design their very own language with it. That’s what I call the power of digital design.

marie with vibe juul thomsen rakel villesen anna barbré

Our everyday life is characterised by business, and our ability to adapt to fast and always accelerating changes has never been more important. This busy lifestyle is making it harder for us to find the time to stop and take a deep breath - and to consider if we are actually living the life we want to.

m8s

Our persona is Clara, 31, a mom of one. She works as a radio host in Copenhagen and loves to be around people and on the run. Her wardrobe is colorful and playful like her personality. She is often seen at concerts with her friends, with a drink in her hand. She is off to work early in the morning and home again late in the evening. Clara thrives with the fast pace of her everyday life, but at times she needs to slow down and take a deep breath all by herself to recharge her batteries.

m8s Water is a vital resource for humankind. We are surrounded by its changing qualities – wet, cold, hard, soft, calming, scary – water has many faces. And we cannot live without it. This project is inspired by the inherent acceleration in nature and in water’s different conditions. Water can be still, calming and quiet, but also violent, powerful and unpredictable.

m8s

Clara grew up in a small town near the ocean. Being near water brings her peace of mind, sends her back to her childhood and gives her a feeling of being at home. She feels like time is moving slower and finds new energy. Our wearing moment is the second just before Clara is stepping out of her front door at home, the moment just before everything around her accelerates when she has to face the unpredictable world outside.

We want our shoes to prepare the user for meeting the unpredictable world outside their comfort zone. With this collection, we want people like Clara to encapsule all energy from their fast running everyday lives and bring it into their way of living and their way of embracing life.

m8s

hector grundtdal grønborg andreas magnussen griis vera barne gunvor black anna bruun kristiansen

rar “The hat will protect you from the sun and evil thoughts, the cape will protect you from the rain and evil words [...]” - Madame Lourdes (The Pilgrimage by Paulo Coelho)

RAR x ECCO presents Biom 2.0 Reflect, a sandal which will protect you from the hot climate of El Camino De Santiago. The Camino routes in Spain, along with many other pilgrimages and long trails around the world, are becoming increasingly popular for the average tourist. Many younger people also seek the allure of the quiet, off-grid experience, which stands in stark contrast to their regular, tech heavy and busy everyday lives.

rar The collection is for a group of people who indulge in both the calm days of walking and reflecting and the social life of the Camino. In the night time people meet, share and drink together around the hostels and in the little villages. At times larger gatherings and parties emerge. The pilgrim has gone partying.

rar

The Biom 2.0 Reflect is a sandal that seeks to marry the calm and quiet of the Camino days with its sociable and joyous nights. However it is also a sandal that caters to the fashionably self-aware, playing on the trend of techwear. Visually the sandal also draws inspiration from ancient pilgrimages, standing as a midway point between the world of modern athleisure and an ancient, Roman-style sandal.

rar

On the technical side the sandal is very fit for hot weather hiking, its straps and hiking socks in breathable materials maximizing the comfort of the wearer. The sides of the sandal have been raised to minimize rocks and other debris causing discomfort. The stable and ergonomic Biom 2.0 outsole is carried by the whole foot, as well as the ankle, making the walking experience seamless and pleasant.

The sandal adapts to its surroundings, and during the day it is a quiet, seemingly simple sandal. However, at night a collection of reflective elements light up and it suddenly stands out and becomes a conversation starter. The sandal embraces the contrasts of the trail life, catering to the different situations that the wearers may find themselves in.

rar In honor of the spiritual nature of The Camino, trinkets, such as the clamshell, a symbol of The Camino, can be tied to the many loops of the sandal. This allows the wearers to customise and create ownership of their footwear. It is a sandal that will carry its wearer far and evolve during the journey.

laurits skau faaborg anne-sophie bergqvist domaiski katja kjems nielsen maria vesterskov kristensen

We are all familiar with the phase of transcending from childhood to adulthood – a time filled with uncertainty and new things to be discovered, demanding bravery and curiosity.

team negative

team negative Our persona is Sebastian Karlson, 21, studying culture and aesthetics in Copenhagen. He is a change seeker and likes to be challenged and challenge others. Being a grassroot activist, he is not afraid to speak his mind. Sebastian’s three wearing moments throughout the day are when he is studying at the campus, at his part time job as a barista, and when partying in the night. The collection makes it possible for Sebastian to have a low key appearance when needed, and an extravagant and playful one when he feels like conquering the world.

With the certainty of facing the unknown, the concept of the leap of faith is closely attached to the experience of transition. With our shoe collection, we want to embrace and support this journey.

team negative

The mothership shoe’s eye-catching and colourful details like the transparent sock filled with feathers give it an uplifting sense of playfulness, encouraging the wearer to go out and take the leap.

team negative

team negative The collection’s overall design is inspired by the dynamic flow of a bird’s wing, giving the shoes a feeling of speed and lightness.

The mixture shoe has the ability to adapt to its surroundings. The option of replacing the sock and switching the colors enables you to personalize it.

team negative

Lecturers Line Rebecca Rumhult is an experienced accessories and fashion designer and head of the shoe, leather and fur workshops at Design School Kolding. She was responsible for the development of the bag course and the overall organization of the ECCO X Design School Kolding project. Liam Maher is the VP & Global Creative Director for ECCO products. He worked with the Kolding team to refine and structure this year’s assignment. Liam Maher’s experience in creative leadership spans a range of footwear, apparel and lifestyle brands in both mainstream and premium niche segments. Solveig Gubser is a senior designer with the ECCO Accessories team. She supported the course with the accessories perspective to give the students the opportunity to explore the world of handbags. Elisa Payer is an independent footwear and apparel designer who has worked with clients, such as Yeezy, Rhude and Inan. Her creative process mixes digital and analogue design; so, she guided students in the virtual reality creation (Gravity Sketch) and other digital programs. Helle Graabæk is a textile designer and teaching associate professor at Design School Kolding. She has been deeply involved in the ECCO X Design School Kolding projects over the years and continues to play an important role. Ana Catarina Cabral is the head of the digital fabrication workshop at Design School Kolding. She offered guidance in the prototyping phase - 3D modelling & visualization software, 3D scanning, 3D printing, laser cutting, etc. Flavia Bon is a freelance design developer working with ECCO Leather and ECCO Leathergoods Unit. With a broad experience in prototyping and making, she shared technical knowledge and supported the students in bringing their ideas to life.

Scott Wilson’s experience in fashion jewellery and accessory design offers a unique perspective in design execution and brand development. With over two decades in the industry, both at the helm of his own brand and as a design consultant. Thomas Willemoes is an industrial designer and shoe craftsman with extensive knowledge of building professional footwear prototypes. He has experience in combining industrial and accessories competences and brings knowledge in the functional and material aspects and ergonomic perspectives. Alexander Fielden is an independent designer and product developer specialising in bespoke shoes and leather goods. He works as a creative consultant for ECCO, playing with new ideas and bringing them to ECCO’s design table. Ana Stankovic-Fitzgerald has unique experience in teaching drawing in all of its stages and across different platforms; from the initial visual research and sketching stages to design development drawing and digital technical drawing and illustration line-ups. Trine Skjoldan Kallesøe is an expert technician and designer within the craft of footwear. She works as a consultant for several shoe brands, covering a wide variety of functional needs. Anne Mette Fosgrau is an experienced CMF designer and workshop manager for the fine craft workshop at Design School Kolding. Her craftsmanship skills helped the students make the shoes and bags as well as understand the design process. Jakob Jensen is an experienced industrial designer and product developer with a great fondness for form and craftsmanship. He is specialized in transport design. Frederikke Tholander is an independent design psychologist, applying design thinking and knowledge about human cognition, emotion and behaviour to design projects for clients across a variety of industries.

shoes & bags for change In our roles as designers, we have the ability to impact our world and the future, inspiring functional innovation, stylistic expression, social progression and sustainable production. We have the tools to influence the way we live and deal with the steadily accelerating rate of change in our time. The twelve collections of shoes and bags in this book, designed by cross-disciplinary student teams from Design School Kolding’s departments of fashion, textile, accessory and industrial design, each approach the theme of accelerating through change in their own very specific way. This project is part of the long-standing strategic collaboration between Design School Kolding and ECCO.