Finally finished reading this. The title says it all - direct, confident, true to his craft. But inside is far more than a footwear portfolio. It’s an immersive look at modern shoe design through one of the industry’s most inventive minds.
In fifteen years, Salehe has worked with brands as diverse as Cole Haan and Moncler, New Balance and Yeezy, Versace and Crocs. With remarkable versatility across formal footwear, hiking sneakers, luxury runners, clog always with his unique aesthetic.
One standour chapter covers his time at Versace and pitching to Donatella, he didn’t use sketches or presentations. He showed up with a 3D printed model, a tangible prototype he could place directly in her hands.
“The extreme advantage that 3D printing gives us is that instead of having to point to a piece of paper and talk through design, you can simply hand an object over to someone and say nothing at all.”
That immediacy, ideas into objects instantly has become indispensable and an epic tool. From the Cuban-link sole of the Chain Reaction to the fingerprint texture of the Crocs Pollex, his shoes blend organic form with crazy algorithmic precision.
The book is epically designed by playlab with rich photography, deliberate layout, art direction that feels like an extension of Salehe himself. Collecting fifteen years with sketches, samples, renderings, personal ephemera.
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Inspiration by Mark