Giyong Woo

A good day to renew shoes

Grafting shoes is a process of deconstructing discarded shoes and reassembling them using 3D digital processes. This technique merges traditional forms with modern technology, giving unexpected construction. The cracks and visible seams are not defects but evidence of a renewed life.

A good day for me is any day that I can say was 'good enough’ even if it isn’t perfect. Sometimes life throws bad things our way, yet we can always see the bright side even in difficult moments. Those painful or negative experiences bring us closer to the true beauty of life. When we face emotions that arise in negative situations and accept them, the beauty of life accumulates over time and becomes visible. This project traces a personal journey of gradually confronting and embracing wounds over time, culminating in the ability to reveal and accept them fully. This philosophy of embracing imperfection is the heart of “Cracked.” Inspired by the Japanese philosophy of Wabi-sabi. Finding beauty in the incomplete and impermanent helps us heal from personal wounds. 

The project “Cracked” comprises three collections that originate from the notion of grafting. 

Collection #1 focuses on modularity. This collection features an interchangeable upper designed to function independently as an indoor shoe. Similarly, the outsole is designed to stand alone as a functional slipper, exploring the boundaries between components. Collection #2 is a series of slippers and a mule created through digital grafting. These pieces resemble fractured components of a memory, meticulously reconstructed into a new, wearable narrative. Collection #3 is 3D-printed slippers and outsoles developed in collaboration with a fashion designer. This collection brings the "Cracked" aesthetic to the runway, proving that our wounds, when accepted, can become a bold fashion statement.