For its 2011 Spring collection, Italian footwear designer Augusta has created a very interesting shoe for men known as the 'Paper' Boot. The 'Paper' Boot features a very distressed and rugged look. The exterior of the boot is covered with what appears to be a scrunched or wrinkled piece of paper. According to Hypebeast, the shell of the boot actually is covered with paper that is "specially treated."
The hue of the boot is very simple faded gray that complements the worn and old aesthetic. The 'Paper' Boot doesn't have any laces but is equipped with a rather discrete zipper at the back of the boot by the heel. The boot falls just below the middle of the calf, making it a suitable boot for a casual outfit.
Key Themes Behind This Trend
- Vintage-inspired Footwear
- Opportunity for designers to create distressed and rugged shoes that have an authentic vintage look.
- Alternative Material Usage
- Opportunity to explore innovative materials like treated paper to create unique and unconventional shoe designs.
- Minimalistic Design
- Opportunity for designers to experiment with simple and minimalist shoe designs that focus on functionality.
Where This Applies
- Fashion
- Disruptive innovation opportunities in the fashion industry for designers to create unique and unconventional footwear.
- Material Science
- Opportunities for material scientists to develop innovative treatments for unconventional materials, such as paper, in the shoe manufacturing process.
- Consumer Goods
- Opportunity for companies in the consumer goods industry to cater to the demand for vintage-inspired and minimalist footwear.
