Final

Jules Gouvin-Moffat

We sought to solve the timeless problem of discomfort in high heel-wearers. Such discomfort often leads to intense pain and carrying a multitude of more comfortable shoes everywhere just to minimize wearing heels. Previous attempts at a changeable high heel have been either ugly or difficult to use. Our final iteration is composed mostly of three 3D-printed components that we created in Rhino, a modeling software. The heel and upper sole parts can notch securely together, as well as easily detach for a lowered position. The bottom of those parts are hinged to the base piece—which provides overall support and structure—to facilitate a more fluid downward motion. There are also two high-quality leather straps per shoe, which we fashioned ourselves with the help of Jenny Milwid, a professional leatherworker. Both straps are laced through a hidden slot in the back of the heel, and while the shorter strap wraps around the user's ankle, the other goes down the foot and through another hidden slot in the toe.