“Vehicle” is a tribute piece to the visual futurist legend, Syd Mead. Inspired by the space colony in the epic film, “Elysium,” Misawa expressed beauty in a curvy shoe line defining legs. His design’s keyword is “riding” and departs boldly from the traditional concepts of “wearing/walking” shoes. Using his background as a shoemaker, Misawa hand-crafted this futuristic piece with scrap leather. Like a child, playing in a private imaginary world, he made this piece by freely immersing himself into Mead’s incredible fantasy world. He sees the world through Syd’s eyes, and designed new shoes.
Bio Misawa trained as a shoemaker in Tokyo and in Vienna, Austria, for 10 years. In Vienna, he spent his free time visiting artists’ ateliers and art museums, where he was absorbed by the creative artistry. This experience inspired his career as an artist. Returning to Japan, he continued to learn under some Japanese artists and craftsmen for 4 years to extend his range of expression. It has been 20 years since he has engaged in shoemaking. He will keep pursuing the new value of “shoe art.”
Other prizes 2010 Germany, International Efficiency Contest of Shoemakers "Gold medal" and "Honor prize" 2015 The 33rd Japan leather crafts exhibition "Culture, Sports, Science and Technology Minister Award" 2021 GLOBAL FOOTWEAR AWARDS "BEST OVERALL WINNER" 2022 GLOBAL FOOTWEAR AWARDS "BEST OVERALL WINNER"
