Rebel shoe, Rebel bag

Since 2011 design students from Design School Kolding have got into step in an interdisciplinary collaboration with the shoe brand ECCO. A collaboration that is fruitful for both parts: the students gain an insight into producing shoes, from the very first idea to the finished design, and in return ECCO is challenged and inspired by the students’ new ideas and design solutions. Each year the project is documented in a book.

This year’s edition Rebel Shoe, Rebel Bag reveals widely different barrier-breaking twists, focusing on boldness and shrewdness. One group for instance has developed a boot for survival in the future. Inspired by the phenomenon ‘survivalism’, where people make preparations for possible catastrophes, the boot can be adjusted in proportion to quickly shifting surroundings. Another group has developed a collection of bags for ‘the ordinary man’, where each bag is adjusted to the man’s stage of development – and his revolt against what is ‘normal’.

For ECCO the collaboration is, among other things, a way of quickly spotting new, talented designers:

- We value making a contribution to the development of new designers, and there is no doubt that our collaboration has strengthened ECCO’s brand in the creative world, says designer for ECCO Ejnar Truelsen.

Also Rector of Design School Kolding, Lene Tanggaard, sees a great potential in the collaboration:

- When students get the possibility of acquiring insight in a place like ECCO, they achieve a marked knowledge of the newest technology and the most advanced professional research work and knowledge, she says.

The book is free and can be read here.
The shoes are not for sale.