Untitled-1.dsgn is a footwear project that encompasses brand creation, consumer research and most importantly design. The project revolves around solving a design aesthetic being lead by four different words. In doing so, those four words influence the graphic design, the footwear design, and the brand design as well.

The idea for this project came about when I was watching Ghost in the Shell. The colors, costume, and environment of a cyberpunk genre really stood out to me. The cyberpunk genre helped define the key terms used in the project, and also helped inform design details like outsole size, and graphics. Deconstruction and other art movements were a part of the graphic design and the breaking down of text.

For this project I wanted to use a sketchbook to organize and record all of my ideas. However one of the words I had in my project was collage, and because of this I would do sketches on sheets of paper and tape them in as well as cut out windows in my actual sketchbook to create a collage like feeling. Also throughout the sketching process I felt very enthusiastic because I knew I wasn't going to be doing a typical basketball shoe or functionally based shoe. Instead the project was more about the process of designing and creating, and finding myself and my own branding through what I love.

In my project there hidden messages, and easter eggs that people found that they really appreciated. The feedback overall was great, both teachers, students, and industry professionals enjoyed the project, and liked the thought process behind it. The trend research according to professionals was spot on, and students all agreed they would love to wear them. The fact that I went through the entire process and not just designed a shoe but actually cut and sewed it was also beneficial on my part because it showed that not only can I sketch and ideate but I can get hands on.

This project is an extension of myself and all of it was taken from things I love. Everything in the project has meaning, and I tried to be as transparent as possible with all of the writing, names, and even branding information. Lastly I want to say that the project is also a comment in the footwear industry at large, and a lot of sarcasm was applied when naming the colors, or set on the shoe.

Cristian Gonzalez

I am a senior at the College for Creative Studies (CCS) who is about to attain a Bachelors of Fine Arts in Product Design. I was born in Cuba and live in Miami but, I have also lived in Cincinnati and Boston. Over the last four years CCS has prepared me for anything the industry throws at me.

My experience ranges from Automotive to UX, Footwear, Sport Equipment, Consumer Electronics, Accessories and more. My approach- no matter the project- is to find a problem for a topic or project brief and provide a unique, creative solution that benefits the company but more importantly the end user.

For me, design is a creative process like no other. If everything aligns during that creative process then the result is a product that people appreciate and ultimately becomes timeless. This is what I strive to achieve with every project. In the end, it’s about creating memorable experiences through a product.

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