Design house Julian Hakes has already turned heads with 3D printed heels, but, this time, the studio took home the gold when they partnered with UK prototyping firm Ogle and created 3D printed shoes for Olympic gold medal winner Amy Williams.
When the Julian Hakes design house was in the process of creating a unique design for Williams, the team turned to Ogle with the need to turn the design around in a short period of time. Relying on in-house SLS machines, Ogle printed the heels in nylon, deeming the material strong enough for walking in and suitable for bonding to the shoes’ leather uppers. The shoes were then presented to the gold medalist, who, in 2010, was the first British person to have won a gold metal for the country at the Winter Olympics in 30 years for her performance in the Skeleton Racing event.
The shoes have since strutted the runways of the UK’s Channel 5 station, where Ogle marketing and sales director Dave Bennion said: “We’re delighted to be involved in such a unique project, especially honouring a British Olympian. The latest technology provided by 3D printing is enabling innovation across all kinds of industries.” They may not be the first pair of 3D printed heals, but they are fit for an Olympic star athlete.
