How Hydraulic Heels Could Soon Put a Spring in Your Step
Springs have been used in some of the most unlikely applications to achieve truly ingenious results, but one of the least probable places to find a spring would surely be within high heeled shoes. However, as demonstrated by one UK designer, that could be set to change.
Silvia Fado Moreno, a graduate of The London College of Fashion, is the UK designer in question, and according to Gizmodo her innovative new Kinetic Traces collection of high heels is making use of hydraulic springs in the heels, mainly to absorb all of the uncomfortable impact that can come from walking in such heels.
Although they may look ungainly, these new high heels have drawn heavy inspiration from the work around shock absorption that has been carried out within sport footwear, and Moreno even enlisted the aid of an architect and an engineer to ensure that her new shoes were as comfortable as possible.
The conundrum facing high heel wearers has always been the attractiveness of the shoes arrayed against the pain that they can cause when worn for a prolonged time, but Silvia Fado Moreno's new range could well have solved that latter concern. Boasting contemporary 3D milling and printing, along with leather, metal and wood detailing, the aesthetics of these shoes are also highly intriguing, so whilst they may never be as elegant as some heels, they are undeniably distinctive.
Still in the prototype phase, these high heels are not yet available to buy, but they could well be on offer to the public by as early as the end of 2014. However, the revolutionary combination of springs, rubber balls and hydraulics could well be enough to win many customers over in the build-up phase, as the promise of 'natural balance' is a very attractive concept.
Furthermore, the pneumatic hydraulics within each shoe can be customised in response to the wearer's exact bodyweight, so the design of this footwear really does have the potential to revolutionise the use of high heels. Moreno's opinion is that shoes have sacrificed functionality on the altar of fashion much too frequently, so it will be interesting to see how her new range takes off.
Here at European Springs and Pressings Ltd, we always find it fascinating to see just how springs are being used in various industries around the world, and our own business provides high quality springs and pressings for a diverse assortment of environments. If you have a need for springs, no matter what the capacity may be, we're able to help, so please contact us by calling +44 (0) 208 663 1800 or email info.bec@europeansprings.com to find out more.
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