Award-winning shoe designs redefine safety and style

Austin Martin began his journey into footwear innovation during his undergraduate honours year at Te Kunenga ki Pūrehuroa Massey University, driven by his goal to focus on a footwear project for his final year. His projects, STRYDE, completed in 2021 as an undergraduate student, and TrailGuard, completed in 2023 as a postgraduate project, demonstrate his growth as an industrial designer.

His industrial design studies equipped him with the tools and methods needed for each stage of the design and production process, a process overseen by Senior Lecturer Yueyun Song.

“Austin has always been passionate about footwear design. Through classroom instruction and personalised supervision, Austin learned how to undertake focused user research and then transform that new knowledge into innovations in form, materiality and manufacturing processes. The results are innovative ideas for wearable products that better serve the people they were designed for,” Ms Song says.

TrailGuard

TrailGuard is a performance shoe designed for hikers tackling rugged terrain that prioritises comfort and safety. Developed in response to the increasing popularity of hiking in Aotearoa New Zealand, it addresses research findings that show 65 per cent of injuries occur in the lower extremities of the body.

Mr Martin aimed to resolve this issue, as traditional hiking footwear worsens these problems due to their rigid design, unnatural shape and tendency to trap water internally.

“My research revealed key footwear design requirements for reducing end-user pain and elevating comfort. This included avoiding points of friction and pressure to reduce the chance of lacerations, sufficient internal drainage to prevent the chance of hotspots and trench foot and being more ergonomically shaped to provide a more comfortable fit and reduce the chance of blisters.

“I developed a seamless one-piece upper of the shoe, tension retaining speed lacing hooks, a one-way passive valve that pumps out internally trapped water with each heel strike and a reshaped footwear last (the form footwear is built around).”

Mr Martin's research found that this feature enhances comfort by reducing pressure points and friction.

TrailGuard won the hiking category award at the Fifth Annual Global Footwear Awards and also won in the sportswear design category for mountaineering, climbing and hiking at the Fit Sport Design Awards.

STRYDE

STRYDE is a personalised performance shoe for nurses. Its meticulous design enhances comfort and functionality in hospital environments, accommodating their rigorous activity of roughly 55,000 steps per week.

The project aimed to understand nurses' footwear needs and bridge the gap between comfort and functionality. Common issues with current nurse footwear include exposed lacing systems and non-waterproof material leading to unwanted fluids seeping into the footwear.

Through interviews and surveys, Mr Martin identified the design features nurses prioritise in their footwear. The result of comfort, arch support and waterproofness were able to be directly implemented into the development of the design criteria - letting the end-user build the design specifications of STRYDE.

The multi-directional traction stemmed from one nurse stating they needed traction for pushing or pulling heavy equipment. The large one-piece forefoot piece is designed to be easily cleaned with a wet wipe, while the protective toe-cap provides protection from falling items and bed trolley wheels.

Mr Martin's research revealed nurses' desire to personalise their scrubs while on shift, influencing the design of STRYDE.

“The customisation options for STRYDE were informed directly through nurses' comments on what they would add to existing footwear to make them more appealing. One nurse said she wanted more colours, stating: 'As someone who has been wearing the same coloured scrubs for 11 years, I like to express my personality through different colours.' Creating a product that effectively balances the end-users' wants and needs is crucial for success, so implementing the want of varied colourways and customisation into the final design criteria was essential.”

STRYDE received the sportswear design/walking and running category award at the Fit Sport Design Awards.

Global Recognition of Awards

Ms Song says Mr Martin’s work is an excellent example of how industrial design research at Toi Rauwhārangi College of Creative Arts impacts people, products and markets.

“The core of our teaching and research is creating functionally and aesthetically beautiful products that have a positive impact on the world and the people who use them.”

This is an approach Ms Song says differs from other research methods at the university.

“Research through creative practice is disseminated differently from other forms of research that take place at Te Kunenga ki Pūrehuroa Massey University. As design practitioners, we often use international awards and exhibitions to put our ideas out into the world for discussion and peer review. Being recognised through international awards, as Austin has done, is a form of quality assurance. It tells us that the research we are conducting here in Wellington is recognised as leading in our field.”

Mr Martin has a clear vision for his future endeavours.

“My next steps in footwear design involve refining my craft within the industry, learning from experts, and continuing to innovate. Ultimately, I aim to release a footwear design brand, focusing on creating innovative and comfortable solutions that address key industry issues,” he says.

Keep up-to-date with Austin Martin's design journey through his social media on Instagram and LinkedIn.