Sole purpose: Shoe repair has aesthetic value

Morpurgo’s Repair It Yourself project encourages consumers to repair worn out shoes rather than replace them. Each shoe features a rubber sole and an insole that snap together, and are clamped to a textile upper to create the final form.

Each pair of trainers is supplied with a kit that includes pattern details to enable the owner to recreate the upper section, and a darning kit to mend tears in the fabric. Owners are encouraged to customise the shoes by repairing them using different colours and textures of fabric.

‘The shoe is like a white canvas that can be modified,’ explains the designer. ‘The consumer has all the tools for aesthetically characterising and customising the product according to his or her own taste. It is here that the repair takes on an added aesthetic value.’

In the Anarconomy Decade, brands are enabling consumers to hack and repair their products. For more examples, see LS:N Global’s DIY design direction.