Project: Zadie Slingback Point
JORDYN AVERY FOR COTTON ON (2023)
After many years out of the mainstream trend cycle, ballet flats re-emerged as a key footwear silhouette in mid 2023. This trend was driven heavily by the influence of Scandinavian fashion on social media. 'Cool girls' like Matilda Djerf paved the way by posting their effortlessly chic outfits online, creating a buzz amongst their primarily Gen Z audience.
Leveraging resources like the WGSN, I identified that the popular Danish brand, Ganni, was a major source of inspiration for our target demographic. The term 'Ganni Girl' became its own aesthetic, cultivating a new wave of whimsical yet polished dressing. The brand's unique footwear was also growing enormously in popularity, namely their chunky, slingback points.
I knew that we needed to develop our own variation of this iconic style for Cotton On's A/W24 collection, but that it also had to align with our brand DNA. I understood that Cotton On customer (18-24 year old females), whilst trend-driven, was not particularly bold with her style. Thus, I took a refined approach to design, using an existing outsole to create an effortless style for everyday dressing.
Moodboard
Development
With target margin in mind, I sketched several new upper designs to suit existing Cotton On outsoles. I gauged that my buyer would be purchasing a small quantity of this new style, meaning I needed to keep our costs as low as possible. I mocked up a range of designs in different colours with various strap and hardware details.
I always begin my development process by hashing out as many design iterations as possible, before later revisiting them to make tweaks and refinements. This helps me to get out all my ideas. Talking through my designs with my team is also something I find extremely productive. I like to receive feedback and hear other people's opinions on what they think would make the most commercial product.
The design:
As a team, we settled on the below design to proceed with for sampling in two neutral colours. Taking into account our customer's love for laid-back, Aussie outfits, we opted for more simplistic hardware than the inspiration. We also reduced the width of the straps for a sleeker finish.
Key features: elasticated slingback strap for easy on/off, adjustable instep strap, silver hardware, pointed toe, padded insole.
Tech Packs
Once the direction was finalised, I created a tech pack for this new style in PLM called 'Zadie Slingback Point'.
Clear and concise communication is key when liaising with international suppliers. I always ensure to make the information in my specification sheets as simple as possible. This helps to keep the number of sample iterations low
Refinement
We experienced a technical issue during our fitting sessions. Our foot model described that her foot was being pushed backwards whilst walking. With the help of our product technician, we were able to increase the size of the toe puff at the front of the shoe for the second sample. This, along with reducing the length of the back strap, made for a significantly more comfortable fit.
After two samples, we proceeded to bulk production.
