"People kept asking us, why start with clay? Why not just open a design software and begin, you know, kind of like the typical path for making shoes. And the answer is because a computer has an idea and some predetermined steps. But when you start with an art form, it's entirely original."
"That question drives host Radhika Seth's conversation with Ben Weiss, CEO of Syntilay, a company already known for pushing footwear into unfamiliar territory through AI, 3D printing, and custom-fit production. In this episode, Weiss unpacks the making of the Skin shoe, a project that began with artist Sebastian ErraZuriz sculpting directly around his foot before the form was scanned, translated, and turned into wearable footwear."
"The result is not just a new shoe, but a new argument for how design can begin, who gets to author it, and why technology may be most powerful when it supports human expression rather than replacing it."
A design process can begin with clay sculpted by an artist rather than with software or predetermined manufacturing steps. AI-enabled workflows can then scan, translate, and produce a custom-fit wearable form. The Skin shoe project started when an artist sculpted directly around his foot, after which the form was scanned and converted into a shoe. The approach reframes authorship by emphasizing human expression as the source of the idea. Technology is positioned as a support system that enables forward-looking outcomes without replacing the creative origin. The result argues for originality rooted in art and experimentation, then amplified through digital fabrication.
Read at Yanko Design - Modern Industrial Design News
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