Brittni Pertijs

I was curious at how different shoes and geometries interface with the human body. I’m exploring this idea by resoling an Airmax 95. This idea sits intentionally between two extremes in the footwear industry. Human movement evolved on variable, compliant terrain, yet modern life places us on flat, rigid, artificial surfaces for most of the day. Footwear shouldn’t ignore that reality…but it also shouldn’t strip away natural foot and ankle function in the process. The goal of this project is to preserve as much natural movement capacity as possible while acknowledging the environments we actually move through. The shoe remains zero-drop, demonstrating that zero-drop does not require the absence of cushioning or rigid arch support. Cushioning is achieved through a 3D-printed TPU outsole with a dynamic foaming agent from Recreus. Additive manufacturing allows cushioning and support to be tuned through geometry…wall structures, thickness, infill patterns, unit size, and foaming rate (depending on the material and print process), shifting cushioning from a fixed material property to an adjustable system. Equally important is the sole geometry. Instead of forcing the foot onto a flat platform, the heel mirrors the anatomical shape of the calcaneus and heel cup, allowing the foot and ankle to accept load, pivot, adapt, and dissipate force in alignment with natural gait mechanics. When footwear geometry matches human anatomy, the interaction becomes neurologically intuitive…the shoe works with the body rather than overriding it. From a construction standpoint, this project was influenced by the adidas Y-3 Itogo shoe and its reductionist, hand-stitched approach. Using a sonic blade from HOZO, I separated the original outsole while preserving the leather upper, then added a leather extension via a shoe patcher to create a stitchable flange. This enabled a direct mechanical connection between upper and outsole, reintroducing a structurally integrated construction. The outsole was modeled in Rhino, textured in Blender, and 3D printed on a Bambu Lab H2D using Recreus Filaflex Foamy TPU at 70% flow. Reduced flow increased material foaming, producing a lighter structure while lowering prototyping costs. The upper and outsole were hand-stitched using an awl.

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In apparel, most brands don’t stall because they lack talent, taste, or hard work. They stall because they never committed fully to being truly unique. Broad feels safer. More product feels productive. But neither gives a customer a clear reason to choose you. ✨ This Thursday’s post is about why every successful apparel brand starts with a niche, and why this question matters just as much when you’re a few seasons in as it does at the beginning.✨ If your line has grown but your point of view has softened, this is a conversation worth revisiting. Coming Thursday.

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A note to anyone hiring designers: Stop asking if we have experience in 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 specific industry We’re not engineers or surgeons who need a decade of specialized training to contribute. We’re designers, our expertise lies in understanding problems, immersing ourselves in new contexts, and solving creatively, no matter the sector. Beauty, tech, food, finance, it makes no difference. A good designer will learn your world quickly, grasp your audience, and bring your brand to life in ways that connect and inspire. Creativity doesn’t belong to one industry. It belongs to those who think critically, stay curious, and have the skill to translate ideas into meaningful visuals and experiences. So instead of narrowing your search by industry labels, look deeper. Look at 𝘩𝘰𝘸 we think, 𝘩𝘰𝘸 we solve, and 𝘩𝘰𝘸 we create. That’s where the real value lies. -Repost: Oussama Mtibaa

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Catch Henry Wong, Vice President of Product Development and Marketing, and Digital Design Team Lead at AGI Denim, as he shares how this form of digital product creation is emerging as a powerful force shaping the fashion industry. He explains how it allows teams to visualize collections instantly, while AI-led tools drive greater creativity, speed, and innovation. Henry also highlights how AGI Denim leverages AI in marketing across both print and digital platforms. #AGIDenim #ProductInnovation #AICreativity #DenimInnovation #FutureOfFashion

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Protection, by Design At Lifestyle Design, we’ve spent over two decades exploring a simple idea: that protection—for your devices, your tools, your gear, your body—deserves to be as considered as the objects it serves. Too often, protection has been treated as an afterthought. Bulky. Overwrought. Indifferent. But we’ve always believed it could be beautiful. Essential. Even iconic. Designing for protection isn’t about armor for the sake of armor. It’s about understanding the rhythm of real life—where things fall, scrape, break, wear, or endure. It’s about designing restraint. Designing confidence. Designing systems that feel inevitable. From ruggedized hardware cases to soft goods that flex and adapt, from personal protective gear to specialized industrial tools, our work has quietly shaped how people protect what matters. Protection is not a category. It’s a responsibility. And when done right, it disappears—leaving only clarity, confidence, and quiet assurance. #IndustrialDesign #DesignMatters #ProtectiveDesign #ProductDesign #DesignForFunction #DesignLeadership #InnovationByDesign #EverydayProtection #DesignThinking #LifestyleDesign #DesignWithPurpose #MadeToProtect #DesignCulture

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The 2026 retail floor is going to feel different — and it’s not just about color. Retailers are leaning into designs with presence: heavier scale, grounding silhouettes, and tactile finishes that invite touch. Organic forms aren’t going anywhere, but they’re getting more structured. Trends come and go, but the pieces with real staying power will balance beauty with commercial viability. 

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New cover by Ella Maru Studio Inc!❤️‍🔥 #Proteases are key regulators of #inflammation, yet their role in immune responses to #implanted_materials remains largely unexplored. On the cover we illustrated how different materials elicit distinct protease responses, offering a signature of material-induced immune activation💫 Nam Tran, Anh Truong, Dang Nguyen and Tram Thuy Dang provide a comprehensive analysis of protease activity in response to various microparticulate materials in immunocompetent mice. They revealed a strong correlation between protease activity and the expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines💥 Original paper 👉 https://lnkd.in/eFqJ8MiZ Nanyang Technological University #immunoengineering #immune #biomaterial #sciart #science #scientific_illustration #chemistry #medicine #ellamaru #sciencegirl #sci_artist #sci_design #cover #scientific_cover #medicalartist #phd #phdlife

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