Whale Fall

Category: Footwear

This design is inspired by the natural wonder of a whale fall—when a whale dies and its body sinks to the deep ocean floor, becoming a nutrient-rich ecosystem that nourishes countless marine species. It is not just the end of a life, but a silent gift from nature, a transformation of decay into renewal. The exterior of the shoe uses chemically treated leather, scorched with acid to mimic the decomposing, damaged whale skin after a fall. This texture embodies the raw, haunting beauty of natural decay. The inner structure consists of modular wooden rings and a central spine, wrapped in leather. These components can be freely assembled and disassembled, echoing the way a whale’s skeleton gradually breaks apart over time. The layered wood and leather evoke both structure and softness, function and symbolism. Each shoe presents a different pose of the whale skeleton—the left shoe shows an upward-facing whale, while the right depicts one lying face down, representing different stages in the whale fall process and the uncontrollable transformation that follows death. Symbolism This footwear is more than just a wearable object—it’s a narrative artifact. It tells the story of death and rebirth, inviting the wearer to walk with the weight of a cycle much larger than themselves. Just like a whale fall: decay becomes beauty, and silence becomes life.