Kaiju Collection

The Kaiju collection started when we were exploring a low-polygon sneaker design. Or in other words, to create the outside of the shoe with as few triangles as possible. It was all about finding a nice balance between the size and amount of the triangles, and keeping the overall shape close to the foot.

Once we were happy with that overall design, we came up with two modifications: one with an extra ‘cage’, following the lines of the mesh, emphasizing the overall geometry. The other with a much more spiky and aggressive outsole.

We then realized that the original design could also be developed into other variants. So we adjusted the original ‘mid’ design into a mule, a low and a high version. And between those variants and the 2 mods, we end up with 16 different designs.

The names for the collection and designs come from a friendly offhand remark when weartesting the spiky sole design: ‘Those should be called Godzilla!’. And so we did. From there it was easy to come up with other names.

'Kaiju' are the Japanese giant monsters that Godzilla exemplifies.

- We then chose ‘Imori’ (Japanese for a newt, a scale-less reptile) for the bare, flat-soled design.
- Those designs become ‘Keji’ once the lattice (or cage) is added.
- And of course it’s the cage that is containing the ‘Gojira’ (aka Godzilla) with the super spikey outsole.
- If we then add the cage structure back on to Gojira, it becomes the ‘Meka’.