WHAT’S MORE ALIVE THAN YOU® leads the first selected objects off, from the first creative call which was lasted from May 18 to July 31, 2009.
Premrudee Leehacharoenkul and Akahito Shigemitsu are two of the 15 pioneers of this innovative concept of fashion, that wants not to create simple and ephemeral objects linked to fashion trends but objects to wear that tell a story, the same of loads of people from all over the world who contribute to the design of collections WHAT’S MORE ALIVE THAN YOU®.
People and our collections are the real strength of our project; so we tell you who they are, to give them a name and an identity that are reflected in their creations as well.
THIS IS ME.
PREMRUDEE LEEHACHAROENKUL
Bangkok – Thailand, October 6, 1982
Thai student with a product design background but with the passion for accessories.
She is currently working on a shoes project for her thesis in Milan, Italy. In her opinion, shoes are pieces of art – they are not only functional, but also inspiring. Her design is focused on creativity, experimentation and innovation. She is fond of mixing different materials. and she mixed and matched different kinds of materials and explored her ideas for shoes and bags.
THIS IS MY ARTWORK – SUSHI COVER
Sushi Cover is made with a particular anatomical shape that keeps the style giving a strong comfort footwear.
The profile of the shoe has no heel, but a slight rise in thermoplastic material, which acts as a shock absorbing soft and provides a comfortable walk, accompanied by the elegance of the form.
Inspired by sushi, for the exterior a really soft and very thin skin of a kangaroo has been chosen, but characterized by high resistance to abrasion, the same one, with other thicknesses, used for motorcycle clothing.
In the inner part a race skin has been added to the lining of goat skin. The special texture of this leather has some very smooth spherical bulges which, in contact with the foot, bring a light massage effect.
The construction of the upper is performed manually for what concerns the tip of the shoe, which has a clear acetate insert that creates the opening and ensures an optimal fit. The sole is made of a whole piece of natural and glossy leather shaped.
The silhouette of the shoe emphasizes the Premrudee’s design and makes this artwork a real sculpture.
THIS IS ME.
AKAHITO SHIGEMITSU
Osaka – Japan, June 15, 1981
Student of interior design. He wishes to travel around the world, meet people from all cultures and see so many cities and to take inspiration from many countries to create a new style. In the meantime, he tries to renew the style of his country and to export it, discovering Japanese culture in its contamination with other cultures.
He could start his journey towards the discovery of different cultures from here.
THIS IS MY ARTWORK – POSTMODERNGETA
The shoes created by Akahito lead us to the discovery of Japanese culture in its contamination with the Western one. Although undoubtedly initially inspired by the traditional Geta or Zori, the design has been then completely revisited into an elegant, contemporary shoe made of recycled or recyclable materials combined with leather and precious textiles.
These two versions of PostModernGeta are part of a mini collection that Akahito thought inspired by traditional Japanese footwear. Compared to the draft submitted and selected, the sole has been changed. From the first idea of using, for its construction, a plastic material we have passed to the solution of recycled rubber, but it did not provide good performance in terms of ease. In agreement with the designer the shoes were then realized by using a sole of leather recycled and water shaped on aluminum mould. This solution allows to obtain a comfortable, but also light, shoe which weight is only 223gr. per pair for “moccasin” version.
The material of the upper is calf and wrinkled in barrel leather with natural and slow process by using just water and it is made of one piece, to maximize the surface of the leather and the particular pattern.
Akahito wanted to play with his culture, creating an object characterized by particular and essential design.
Both artworks will be available in unisex models and for sale exclusively online at WMATY.COM
The artworks WHAT’S MORE ALIVE THAN YOU® are marked by orange present within each model.
SPONSORED BY REVOLUTIONART MAGAZINE.