From a footwear workshop to a lecture in New York. Sustainable footwear from Zlín in the USA
15. February 2024Zlín, February 13, 2024 – Students from the Shoe Design Studio of the Faculty of Multimedia Communications (FMC) and the Footwear Research Centre (FRC) at Tomas Bata University (TBU) had their work recognized at the Czech Center New York. Oldrich Voyta, a lecturer at FMC and a doctoral student at the Footwear Research Centre, presented the results of the footwear workshop with students during his trip to the USA. The work was also showcased at the Slovak Fashion Night Ball.
Oldrich Voyta guided six FMK students and two students from the TBU Footwear Research Centre to create a collection of women’s high-heeled footwear from recycled textile materials called “TY si IQ” (You Are IQ). “TY si IQ” material was created in workshops hosted by the Slovak Atelier 71. Under the Atelier’s patronage, a sustainable fashion show featuring works by students from Zlín was held at the thirtieth Slovak Fashion Night Ball on Saturday, January 27, 2024, in New York.
“We got involved with Atelier71 because this Bratislava studio approached me directly, having learned about my work through collaboration with the First Lady of the Czech Republic, Eva Pavlová. Under the leadership of Monika Laceková (Mola Design – Mola Couture), Atelier71 prepared a fashion collection consisting of twenty-four models, using the innovative material ‘TY si IQ’ for their work. This collaboration resulted in a sustainable fashion collection as well as designer high-heeled footwear, which also aims for wearer comfort. The organization of the entire event by +421Foundation, the Consulate General of the Slovak Republic in New York, and the Slovak-American Cultural Centre was amazing, with over six hundred guests attending the ball. The audience enthusiastically received the collection. It was the first time that the footwear from our Footwear Design Studio and Footwear Research Center was presented in the USA, which I consider a tremendous success,” stated Oldrich Voyta.
During his trip to the United States, Oldrich Voyta was invited by Suzanna Halsey from the Czechoslovak Society of Arts and Sciences (SVU) to give a lecture at the Czech Center in New York (Bohemian National Hall). In the lecture titled “Stepping into the Future: Art and Science of Shoe Design,” Oldrich Voyta not only presented his works, including the inaugural footwear of the current First Lady of the Czech Republic, Eva Pavlová, but also the craft of shoemaking as a whole. He introduced the audience to Tomas Bata University in Zlín and its importance as a bearer of the shoemaking craft in the Czech Republic.
The Footwear Design Studio at the Faculty of Multimedia Communications in Zlín has been focusing on integrating knowledge of anatomy, biomechanics, shoemaking craft, and design for over twenty years. The unique integration of these knowledge areas stems from the historical tradition of Zlín, which helps students understand the technological-design connection. Students are encouraged to undertake highly creative projects bordering on art, as well as very specific and practical tasks, usually stemming from assignments from specific companies. The studio collaborates extensively with local manufacturers and focuses, among other things, on the sustainability of design.
The Footwear Research Center was established in 2019 as another research unit of the University Institute. It is a research unit with a global reach for the research, development, and testing of footwear materials, technologies, and design. The basic philosophy of the center is to design healthy, functional, and comfortable footwear that meets the requirements of today’s customers. The laboratories and workshops of the Footwear Center are intensively used by students of bachelor’s and master’s programs at FMC and FT and doctoral students enrolled in the Footwear Research Center. Currently, the center is engaged in several interesting international projects focused on the development of natural materials for footwear production, methods of reusing leather products, and the diagnosis of the movement of the musculoskeletal system. The center is part of the European Confederation of the Footwear Industry (CEC) and the Czech Footwear and Leather Goods Association (ČOKA). In its short time of operation, it has already received awards for its results, including the Red Dot Product Design, German Innovation Awards, and Global Footwear Awards. A joint doctoral program is being prepared with twelve Indian government educational institutions focused on footwear design and development, which will certainly contribute to the revitalization of footwear production.