October 25, 2011 |
FROM THE VAULT (SUMMER 2011)
Chau Har Lee – The Heel Maker
“I’ve always loved making things from a young age. My mother was a dressmaker for a while working from home, I remember being fascinated watching her stitch bits of fabric together and a garment would appear at the end. She always encouraged me to pursue my creative interests.”
HOW DID YOU GET STARTED IN DESIGN? DO YOU REMEMBER THE FIRST THING YOU EVER MADE?
“During my Foundation course I started to understand how I could communicate ideas through my work. I really enjoyed the creative process and being able to express myself through experimenting, drawing and making.
I used to make a lot of clothes for myself but I distinctly remember the first shoes I created which were made from tissue paper and wire.”
YOUR SHOES ARE VERY SCULPTURAL? DO VIEW THEM AS MORE AS ART/ SCULPTURE THAN SOMETHING TO BE WORN AND WALKED AROUND IN?
“I usually start with concept pieces in order to realise the full extent of my ideas, once I have something physical in front of me, I can then develop it further into more accessible wearable pieces. So although my most conceptual designs are showpieces, they are still built to adorn the foot.”
YOU’RE PROBABLY MOST KNOWN FOR YOUR PERSPEX SHOES. WHERE DID THE IDEA FOR THEM COME FROM?
“I was trained in making shoes the traditional way so when I decided to study an MA I really wanted to challenge myself and do something different. At the RCA I was able to explore and learn from other disciplines such as product design, vehicle design, jewellery, etc. I sought advice from students and technicians about processes such as 3d-scanning, lasercutting and rapidforming which I wanted to combine with traditional methods of shoemaking and introduce materials such as Perspex, wood and stainless steel to contrast with softer moulded leathers. I love traditional shoemaking, I think it’s a beautiful craft that requires technical skill yet a sensitive hand, equally I’m fascinated by how fast technology is moving and some of the amazing things that we can do at the push of a button.”
HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE YOUR WORK?
“My designs span conceptual showpieces to elegant and original yet accessible footwear. I often employ a crossover of making and manufacturing processes from fields other than shoemaking in order to realise my concepts. This gives me much scope for creativity in the design stage by removing boundaries associated with traditional methods. However, my knowledge of traditional shoemaking helps me know how and where I can break these boundaries. In this way the shoes work as both sculptural, aesthetic pieces and functional footwear.”
by Natalie Dembinska
Photograph by Sean Thomas – www.seanthomasphotography.com
