Ofir Kertesz, the 2023 Best Overall Winner, very personal story behind the metamorphosis project.

Footwear Designer Ofir Kertesz Reveals the Story of the metamorphosis Project. Global Footwear Awards 2023, Best Overall Winner in student category.

Ofir was born in Txfat in Northern Israel. And moved to Haifa district to this day. Her life revolved around art, as a child she participated in jewelry lessons, ceramics, and drawing and creating costumes in her free time. After her mandatory service, she started her degree studies at Bezalel Academy. 

Winning Project: metamorphosis, During her recovery from a serious car accident that left her disabled both physically and mentally, she became obsessed with the concept of freedom, because she felt deprived of any remnants of it and found herself drawn to the metamorphosis of insects. She created three pairs of shoes, custom-made for her foot measurements using 3d printing and handcrafting techniques.

How did you choose Bezalel Academy Of Art And Design?

I was looking for a program that could teach me about as many aspects of design and art as possible. And the jewelry and fashion departments gave me just that, with the program starting as multi-disciplinary. I had the time to learn which aspects of the program suited me best and chose to continue my studies focusing on shoe design.

How did the design come to have such an important role in your life?

At about 12 years old I started to create fantasy costumes. I did that for about 10 years and decided to be a costume designer for theatre and movies. When I started my studies I came to learn the workings of shoe design and fell in love with the craft.

What is your inspiration behind metamorphosis?

In 2021 I was involved in a serious car crash. Suddenly I was disabled, had to learn how to walk again, and had to build myself back up. I felt like a butterfly and felt that my shell, my body, had more to offer than I could bring at that moment, so in the next months as I recovered, I had to learn how to utilize my body all over again. Same as I imagine a freshly hatched butterfly had to do when it left its
chrysalis.

Can you explain your general design process? How do you start a new project?

In this project, I started with how I felt. I started to look for inspiration around me that sparked that feeling and landed on insects and then studied the process that the insects go through and different kinds of them until I landed on the right shapes that I wanted to create with that inspiration.

What does winning the Global Footwear Awards mean to you?

I’m very honored to be selected, every recognition of my art and hard work brings me so much joy.

Are you currently working on something new that you can tell us about?

I’m currently learning how to crochet, with the idea of getting to know a new craft and maybe merging it to my shoe designs.

Discover our GFA 2023 Winners HERE