Kintsugi

NewLab Brooklyn, New York

Designed adaptive footwear for Levi, an individual with dwarfism, as part of an interdisciplinary team including an occupational therapist and disability expert. Through user research and iterative prototyping, we developed a pattern-making toolkit and footwear that balanced accessibility, comfort, and aspiration, enabling both function and self-expression.

Organization : Open Style Lab X Steve Madden

Exhibition : Victoria and Albert Museum, London

What is Dwarfism?

Defined as adult height of 4 foot 10 in (147 centimeters) or less
Affects 1 in 15,000 to 1 in 40,000 people (2017)
400+ different types of Dwarfism, most common = Achondroplasia

What are the pain points?

No casual or formal shoes made for people with Dwarfism
Form/function compromise with children’s and women’s shoes
Struggles with the shoe-shopping experience

What are the pain points?

Multifunctional: A versatile shoe that adapts to different activities and daily needs.
Iconic: A design that reflects individuality while maintaining a timeless and recognizable aesthetic.
Durable: A shoe engineered to accommodate the user's unique gait pattern, ensuring long-term wear resistance and minimizing material erosion.
Mature & Stylish: Footwear that conveys sophistication and personal style, regardless of smaller shoe sizes.

Research : Posture, Weight and Gait

His body proportion leads to more weight distribution on his heels

Levi’s static posture puts a lot of weight on the outer edges of feet

Supination: The foot rolls outward during movement, placing greater stress on the outer edge.

Kintsugi Inspiration

Shoe Shopping Analysis: Identified desired aesthetic and functional features.
Modular Footwear Research: Explored combining shoe components to create smaller sizes.
Sizing Toolkit Development: Created a custom sizing kit tailored to Levi's foot dimensions.
Kintsugi-Inspired Pattern Making: Developed a customizable pattern-making system celebrating individuality.

Shoe and Pattern making

Final Prototype

Team Levi (Hiral, Laura and Levi) presenting and Celebrating