The BASF Footwear Innovation Center

XII edition of the competition called students to design sneakers which represent natural phenomena.

In 2018, the twelfth competition, sponsored jointly by the Italian Politecnico Calzaturiero and BASF Italia, was held under the banner “ORGANIC EVO”. Students designed sneakers whose anti-geometric forms were supposed to represent natural phenomena.

The design competition on the applications of polyurethane has the primary objective of stimulating the creativity or young people and favouring the development of products characterised by style and, above all, the use of innovative materials and processes. Polyurethane, although a traditional material in the footwear sector, is ideal for any type of experience because it can be used creatively in luxury products and haute couture.

Luca Bugliesi - The Designer

The sole has been designed by Luca Bugliesi, inviting the students to design shoes where style meets technology. Luca Bugliesi is a designer who has always been attracted by the world of sports footwear and earned a degree in industrial design in Florence.

His projects are a combination of technology, materials, passion and creativity as he experiments innovative solutions.

The organic evo concept is born of the union of three words: design, nature, and art.

With an original approach to research, he drew inspiration from natural, anti-geometric, and non-linear forms. Fluid geometries, free and imperfect forms, accompanied by stylised accents and attention to detail. The laws of nature make a powerful yet delicate entrance into objects of design to be used daily, creating identities of a unique nature.

The Winning Shoes

1st Place - Vanessa Ciaccia

I am Vanessa Ciaccia, I’m 23 and I live in Pieve di Soligo, a small town nestled in the hills of Treviso where prosecco wine is produced. I graduated as a clothing and fashion technician in 2015 and immediately set out on my career in the footwear sector. Since November 2015 I have been working for Diadora as a developer. This is where I began taking my first steps and feeling a passion for this environment and, with a view to improving my technical preparation, I decided to enrol at the Politecnico.

My project is called “Evo Organic”. To create this shoe I was inspired by natural lines: soft yet dynamic curves, with a modern design. The asymmetric sock in knitted fabric, together with the transfers applied in TPU, wrap around the show, creating a weave of materials and colours. The concept is hybrid, created by associating contrasting materials, from a point of view of both material and design. 

2nd Place - Lorenzo Gramegna

My name is Lorenzo, I’m 25, creative and extroverted. I was born near Bari and ever since I was little I have always been driven to discover the world and its cultures. The impetuous force of the colour black has always attracted and inspired me. I want to give boundless power with what I create, tempering the individual's personal style.

Evo-run is my footwear project inspired by the aggressive style of a nocturnal huntress. Organic movement in the cuts of the upper and of the materials, and the dominance of the colour black express a strong and captivating personality, capable of leaving a mark. Aggressive and progressive.

3rd Place - Riccardo Sette

My name is Riccardo Sette, I’m 23 and I live in Monselice, in the province of Padua. I have been working in the footwear sector for 3 years. The Carmen company gave me the opportunity to embark on a scholastic path with the Politecnico Calzaturiero to broaden and improve my technical preparation. Curiosity, passion and commitment have been my constant companions since I started out on this stimulating and enriching career.

My footwear project is born of the theme “Organic Evo”. Far from classic geometry, the lines are original, simple, and sinuous to pique curiosity and catch the eye. Essentialism and minimalism are a stylistic choice that makes it possible to appreciate the pure form, limiting details like straps and inserts to a minimum.

Impressions