Deborah Kiwi – Independent Footwear Designer of the Year 2024 | Designer of “Surreal” Footwear

Meet Deborah Kiwi, winner of the Independent Footwear Designer of the Year 2024 at the Global Footwear Awards, is pushing the boundaries of shoe design with Surreal. This avant-garde yet functional piece captures the essence of disruption and transformation, blending artistic abstraction with practical wearability.

With a background in industrial design and a passion for craftsmanship, Deborah’s work challenges traditional notions of footwear. Her designs focus on form, proportion, and storytelling—turning shoes into expressive statements. Surreal embodies this philosophy, stripping away conventional elements to explore the impact of change.

In this interview, Kiwi shares her creative process, inspiration, and vision for the future of footwear design.

Our Interview with Deborah Kiwi

What inspired you to enter the footwear design industry? Was there a particular moment or influence that made you want to specialise in such an art form?

I’ve always enjoyed creating with a clear purpose, so pursuing design was a relatively straightforward path. My background is in industrial and graphic design, but over time, I found myself missing the hands-on aspect of making. When I first came across shoemaking, I was immediately captivated—it’s such a fascinating object with a rich history, yet something we interact with intimately every day. It felt like the perfect form of expression, so I decided to shift all my
attention there. It’s a wonderful blend of design and craft, bringing both creativity and tradition together.

How would you describe your approach to design, and has it changed over time?

My approach to design is largely narrative-driven, paired with a desire to experiment with form and technique. The narrative acts as the foundation, shaping the tone and direction of each project. From there, I draw on my background in industrial design and shoemaking techniques to create my
footwear. Over time, I’ve become more drawn to intimate, personal stories rather than grand, overarching themes. Whether capturing a joyful moment or a poignant one, the goal is to create something compelling and evocative.

Your winning design explores “disorienting transition” and the moment of disruption, could you expand on this idea?

With this design, I aimed to express an unsettling moment of intense change and impact. The familiar base which grounds the design, transitions into an abstract form that interrupts the look of traditional footwear. From there the shape is devoid of conventional shoe-like features. This represents the new and obscure reality. To enhance the unconventional form and exaggerated volume, I chose a monochromatic colour palette, emphasizing the starkness of this transformation. Despite the avant-garde appearance of this shoe, an internal mule structure ensures the design is fully functional.

Your design is an avant-garde yet functional mule structure, how do you decide where to draw the line between art and functionality?

Art and design have many overlapping qualities, but an important distinction for me is that design provides answers, while art asks questions. Though I see myself as a designer first and foremost, I find that blurring these lines often leads to exciting new perspectives. My framework is simple: every piece must be wearable. From there, I allow myself a lot of artistic freedom to create visually impactful footwear.

Can you share what the Surreal represents to you personally and creatively? How does it fit within your wider body of work?

A lot of elements came together in this piece. I loved the design from the very beginning; it felt like the right way to express a complicated time without it feeling bleak or heavy. To me, it strikes a fine balance between intention, artistic abstraction, and an impactful silhouette.

Then there was the technical challenge of crafting the pair. This involved extensive experimentation and problem-solving, making the successful outcome all the more satisfying. In the end, the combination of these stages transformed this project into something very meaningful, and it feels like a defining piece in my body of work so far.

How has your background in industrial design influenced the way you think about and create footwear?

My background in industrial design informs many aspects of my creative process. It shapes how I view form and silhouette—not just of the shoe itself, but also how it impacts its wearer, sometimes distorting the body and challenging conventional notions of beauty. As all my footwear is handmade, I often employ crossover techniques that combine my industrial design experience with the traditional craft of shoemaking. This enables me to move away from ready-made solutions and to manipulate shapes in both the heel and the upper.

Are there specific materials, techniques, or technologies that you find yourself drawn to in your work?

Many of my designs feature deviations from traditional ready-made solutions. I’ve previously incorporated textile design and upcycling techniques, and more recently, I’ve been integrating moulding and casting methods into my work— particularly for custom-designed heels or last adjustments. For example, the Surreal shoe involved a two-part process: first, creating a custom mould for the spherical shape, then applying traditional shoemaking techniques the last while ensuring all that volume remained secure and wearable.

Congratulations on winning the GFA Awards! How does it feel to be recognised, and what does it mean for your work moving forward?

The GFA has always been a platform I look to for what’s next in the footwear industry, and to be part of that story is truly exciting. I am incredibly honoured by both the recognition and support I have received from the GFA. It’s a wonderful feeling to have my work highlighted alongside so many other stunning and inspiring designs.

How do you see your work evolving, and what changes do you hope to see within the design landscape?

As new technologies emerge, much of our work will revolve around integrating innovation. It is my hope that we will strike a balance, choosing thoughtfully where to incorporate these advancements. I believe that art, much like music, is a profound expression of human emotion and hope that there will always be room for beautifully crafted, uniquely designed tactile pieces that carry a sense of human touch and individuality. So we will stay committed to preserving a long rich history of craft, while embracing the many wonderful new techniques that will shape the future of design.