This is a deeper dive into how Tofers came to be - be sure to read this first for the bigger picture, and here for a deeper look at the ideation process.
The vision for Tofers was clear. Going from concept to design was an iterative process.
(2) Sketching
The next big step after ideation was finding a footwear designer for Tofers. Our advisor presented talented experts, and after interviewing a few we ultimately selected a UK based footwear consultancy led by a visionary designer with a passion for adapting products to our environment.
With the help of our designer, we created the first sketches for our smoking
slipper focused on the silhouette. Then we made stylistic decisions, thinking about seams, trim, heel height, toe roundedness, etc.. Nothing was off the table. Eventually we had our ideal design, balancing style with function in three different "colorways" - midnight blue, gray (or black), and dark brown.
(3) Creating the Tech Pack
With the sketches in place, the next step was converting them into a "tech pack". Think of it as the blueprint for our shoes, showing detailed, up close drawings of the shoes from multiple angles, so that a factory could look at it and have a solid sense of what we wanted for our shoe.