The Million Pair
That Matters
In 2020 I gave a keynote speech at the International Design Conference. In “Design For Humanistic Values” I shared some influences which were fostering a transition in my design pursuits. I spoke about my intention to bring human values back to design; to be led first by what is essential to humanity.
Following my IDC keynote speech I was approached by Samaritan’s Feet, a non-profit organization who’s mission is to break the cycle of poverty that poor health, namely the foot borne diseases to which shoeless individuals are susceptible can bring. Their intervention toolbox included a basic injection-molded EVA shoe which they had been distributing for nearly two decades. Deemed the World Shoe, it was delivered to individuals in 108 countries and they were fast approaching their 10 millionth donated pair.
When I was embedded in the sports industry the measure of success was to design a shoe that sold a million pairs. In many cases the products I created were not an essential requirement of life. Designing the World Shoe turned that paradigm on its head. The millions of pairs that wind up on the feet of shoeless people amounts to the million pair that really matters.
The predecessor to the new World Shoe carried with it the stigma of a charity shoe which was not desirable to the young people for whom it was primarily distributed. What I saw in it was a “retro” styled shoe that emulated traditional construction including faux stitching and lacing. My intention in the new design was to bring proper function but also detailing that exploited the manufacturing technique rather than disguise it. I also wanted to bring to it the modern styling of contemporary athletic footwear giving it a higher desirability factor.
Footwear Innovation In Simple Form
The Design Process
3D model and animation by Maximilian Baumer - Baumer Bewegte Bilder
World Shoe The Brand
With the birth of the new World Shoe came the opportunity for a social enterprise. Three entities all using the World Shoe name was established. The non-profit World Shoe Fund functions as the humanitarian footwear distribution operation. World Shoe Limited is responsible for factory operations that produce the shoe. World Shoe, Inc., is the consumer facing commercial business, of which a portion of profits go back to the World Shoe Fund.
With a broader vision set, my role transitioned from Designer to Creative Director. I became responsible for shepherding the design and development of the new brand, overseeing the entire creative process to ensure the brand's visual and verbal identity remained consistent and compelling across all media and audiences. I partnered-in creative agency Noise Studio to shape brand strategy, visual identity, art direction, photography, video, front-end web and environment design.
When it came time to creating a logo I reached out to longtime collaborator and designer extraordinaire, Jan Hippchen.
The Look, Feel & Language
INTRODUCING THE WORLD SHOE
The grand opening of the World Shoe factory in Akosombo offered a first peek at the brand execution. Dignitaries including royalty, celebrities, business leaders and press attended. My job was to make sure the factory site was branded properly. That meant ensuring the environmental, architectural and interior design all worked in unison to reflect the unique personality of the brand. The main gate, the boulevard leading up to the factory buildings, the buildings themselves and the showroom all were treated with the colors, graphic elements and messaging that reinforced the unique character, quality and attitude of the World Shoe brand.
The main entrance of the World Shoe factory in Akosombo, Ghana, two hours north of Accra.
The Boulevard leading up to the factory facilities are lined with brand imagery.
The World Shoe factory is a world-class production facility that came to life in a remarkably short period of time; just one year.
