The Hespuh
The Hespuh is a concept design that brings the ideas of modularity, sustainability, and high fashion together in the form of a shoe by creating a system that allows users to swap styles and colors at ease. The Hespuh is made of biodegradable materials such as bio-foam, vegan orange peel leather and wood.
Each year, Americans throw away roughly 300 million pairs of shoes that on average take 30-40 years to decompose in a landfill. I began to wonder why that many shoes were being thrown away, and the most clear answer is fast fashion.
Fast fashion has created a culture of rapid consumption that relies heavily on trends revolving through upwards of 52 “micro-seasons”. Multiple times a year consumers are faced with new color palettes and aesthetics, leaving them wanting to keep up and consume more.
I am one of those consumers who fall victim to this culture, and understand the feeling of wanting to upgrade my wardrobe frequently. That is where The Hespuh comes in.
The Hespuh utilizes a system of magnets that are embedded in the wooden sole as well as the bio-foam/leather upper. This allows you to swap one style or color for another without having to purchase an entire new pair of shoes.
The magnets being used are originally for bike petals that mimic clip-less petals. They are 150N Neodymium magnets from the brand Magped.
