Dutch footwear brand United Nude, known for its architectural and avant-garde shoe designs, is set to open its first store in the Philippines.
Architect Rem D Koolhaas, together with Galahad Clark, established United Nude in 2003. With no fashion background, the young architect incorporated his knack for designs to revolutionize the way shoes are made.
“We ended up breaking the rules of shoe design, not for the sake of breaking them, but simply by not knowing them,” shared Koolhaas.
Because of this, he has successfully elevated the art and business of shoemaking by making the shoe as the centerpiece rather than just being a supporting accessory in an outfit.
Koolhaas made use of architectural design techniques to create unique and iconic shoe shapes that combine form and functionality. Diagonal lines and clean geometric shapes, among many other architectural concepts, have become a trademark in United Nude shoes.
United Nude’s iconic Möbius line is an example of the brand’s design principles; it features a lone strip for the sole and heel.
The Möbius is the first and most successful design of United Nude, and it was then followed by other footwear designs whose unique shapes are inspired by innovative pieces of architecture as well as avant-garde styles made in collaboration with high profile creatives such as Iris van Herpen, Zaha Hadid, and Issey Miyake.
