What started off as a form exercise for Dewayne Dale resulted in a piece of footwear that looks like no other. The 3D Surprise shoe was created as a result of conceptualizing directly in 3D CAD software, rather than sketching first and building later.

The conceptual shoe features a unibody design with a subtle gradient from top to bottom, visually creating a separation between shoe and outsole, while there’s no surface break between the two. Harnessing the shape of the foot, building on the bones and muscles within, the 3D Surprise was envisioned as a new-age hiking boot with a design that was simple and sophisticated looking. The shoe comes with an exaggerated protrusion detail for the ankle bone, and a textured sole that looks industrial and organic at the same time. There’s no word on what material the shoe could be made of, but for a unibody approach that’s both comfortable and durable, I’d probably say something on the lines of TPU, or a 3D printed elastomer that manages to capture the beauty of the shoe’s design, but at the same time is also flexible at the top, tough at the base, and showcases that absolutely delightful vertical gradient!

Designer: Dewayne Dale