Don’t step on my hair
Category: Footwear
Competitions: Taiwan Region
This design is centred on the concept “Don’t Step on My Hair”, inspired by the experience of hair loss during cancer treatment. Hair symbolises identity, dignity, and vulnerability, representing not only physical appearance but also emotional and psychological resilience. The sole acts as a structural translation of pressure, using directional textures and controlled deformation to visualise the relationship between external force and material response. Rather than functioning as decoration, the surface becomes a medium that records impact, transforming invisible pressure into a visible form. These imprints reflect how vulnerable groups are often overlooked and metaphorically “stepped on” in society—traces that remain, yet go unnoticed in everyday life. Through this, the design invites reflection on empathy, awareness, and the consequences of unconscious behaviour. This logic of pressure and deformation also extends to environmental issues. Under excessive consumption and continuous resource extraction, ecosystems are subjected to persistent stress, resulting in gradual degradation and irreversible damage. A lattice-based structural system is applied to optimise load distribution and minimise material usage. This approach shifts sustainability beyond material selection, focusing instead on structural efficiency, performance, and responsible design thinking. Sustainability, therefore, is not only about materials, but about redefining our responsibility towards life, structure, and the environment.
