Future Footwear Foundation

Future Footwear Foundation Future Footwear was developed by Catherine Willems as part of her doctoral research at KASK Ghent, School of Arts, Belgium (www.KASK.be) (PhD., 2015).

We promote our understanding of human locomotion and sustainable footwear for body and environment by studying and working with indigenous cobblers and by integrating design anthropology, sustainability and biomechanics in multidisciplinary projects. The biomechanical component of ‘Future Footwear’ is done in collaboration with dr. Kristiaan D’Août (Faculty of Health & Life Sciences, University of Liverpool). Inspired by the convergence of traditional wisdom and modern technology Willems has now embarked on a follow up study, Future Footwear 2.0, which aims to bring sustainable production and individual needs closer together through 3D printing. To scale-up to global activities and sustain this convergence beyond the term-limited research at KASK, ‘Future Footwear Foundation’ fosters collaborations between artisans, students, and synergistic units in academia and private sectors around the world, including Vivobarefoot (UK), Rsscan (BE), Toehold Artisans (IN), London College of Fashion, Footwear Design (UK).

During PLAY: Research Days  18-21 March 2026, we had the pleasure of hosting Kate Fletcher and her workshop The Lived Dr...
16/05/2026

During PLAY: Research Days  18-21 March 2026, we had the pleasure of hosting Kate Fletcher and her workshop The Lived Dressed Body.

It was an engaging experience of sensorial research through the body and clothing. How do our clothes shape the way we sense the environment?

Thank you to everyone who joined and contributed to the meaningful exchanges around nature, materials, fashion, and playfulness.

The experience and discussion was featured in an interview with Kate by featured in .be

Photo credit: ©Rogiervaneck

Looking back to PLAY: Research Days 2026 18-20 March, Bijloke SiteCollaborative making, relationality and the dressed bo...
29/04/2026

Looking back to PLAY: Research Days 2026
18-20 March, Bijloke Site

Collaborative making, relationality and the dressed body were the key ideas which we explored during the first ever research days at KASK & Conservatorium.

Thanks to everyone who came to see our exhibition "A sensorial track" and who joined the two panels on "Making Collective Bodies through Play" with guest speakers Kate Fletcher and Lambros Malafouris, as well as KASK artistic researchers Sofie Verclyte, Catherine Willems and Joost Rekveld, moderated by Anca Usurelu.

Photo credits: ©Rogiervaneck and Sam De Buysere

Walkshop - x Gait Analysis Lab ( University of Liverpool) - some highlights 👣 1. Design moodboards based on biomechani...
24/02/2026

Walkshop - x Gait Analysis Lab ( University of Liverpool) - some highlights 👣

1. Design moodboards based on biomechanical insights from Dr. D’Août

2. The Proprioception Award went to ✨️

3. Introduction to gait analysis on the first day of the walkshop

4. Motion capture of the right leg with .moock

5. Footwear design lecturer Natalie getting ready for design consultations with the students.

6. Motion capture at with researchers Catherine and

This month in Mo Magazine!Glad to share that our work is featured in the Mo Magazine article written by Sarah Vandoorne....
15/12/2025

This month in Mo Magazine!

Glad to share that our work is featured in the Mo Magazine article written by Sarah Vandoorne.

Based on interviews with our colleagues and partners - Catherine Willems, Festus Soroab, Virpi Jääskö and Devika Krishnan.

Let us know your thoughts! 😊

We’re so happy that ‘Tju|ho – Thoughtful Ways of Making and Walking’ has found its way to our dear friends at !Khwa ttu ...
26/11/2025

We’re so happy that ‘Tju|ho – Thoughtful Ways of Making and Walking’ has found its way to our dear friends at !Khwa ttu – San Heritage Centre in South Africa.

A few months ago, we gathered at !Khwa ttu with Indigenous shoemakers, designers, and researchers to exchange knowledge on making and walking. The book also reflects what emerged from those days together - above all, the power of collective action in shaping better footwear futures.

A warm thank you to for receiving the book, and to for bringing it safely to !Khwa ttu.

✨ Link in bio to learn more about the publication, which will soon arrive to the Nyae Nyae Conservancy Village Schools (Namibia) too!

19/11/2025

During the first project week, the bachelor students of the fashion were challenged to consider different-abled bodies and how wearables shape (in)visibility in the public sphere. 
 

Following the talks by “The Body Plural” researchers Bauke Lievens and Anca Ușurelu, they created wearables that challenge normative body perceptions and actions.

The students were gently guided by Bram Jespers, Helena De Smet, Catherine Willems and Aouatif Boulaich. 3D-printing was supported by designer and alumni Tobias Van Nieuwenhove. 
 

Project by fashion students: Brent Vlerick,  Romke Witte, Jens Vandepoel, Neko Debaillie, Ella Mertens 

What a wonderful opportunity to share our new project with a group of entusiast studentd at KASK Fashion!From Walking Ar...
19/11/2025

What a wonderful opportunity to share our new project with a group of entusiast studentd at KASK Fashion!

From Walking Archives to Wearable Utopias: Walking Methodologies in Art, Design and Education

Together with Anca Usurelu, Anna Luyten, Catherine Willems and Chokri Ben Chikha, for the next two years, we are looking into how design and performance students can engage with political questions through walking. 

Our project kicked off with a talk on wearable utopias - a warm welcome to Anca to the KASK team! 

Project affiliated with the research cluster "the body plural" at KASK & Conservatorium (HOGENT-Howest)

We’re happy to share that Tju|ho: Thoughtful Ways of Making and Walking will be launched on 9 October 2025 at the Britis...
06/10/2025

We’re happy to share that Tju|ho: Thoughtful Ways of Making and Walking will be launched on 9 October 2025 at the British Library, London.

The book has been in the making for several years, in collaboration with the Ju|’hoansi community in and around Nhoma, Namibia. It explores how walking and making are ways of knowing and being in relation.

📍Knowledge Centre @ British Library, London
🗓 9 October 2025, 17:45–19:30
🎟 Registration needed via link in bio.

Come join us!

If you can’t make it to London, the book is available through — send us a message for a discount code.

Supported by
Co-organised by the Future Footwear Foundation () and the Global Future Footwear Coalition (GFFC).

Book design by

𝟯𝗗 𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗶𝘁𝗮𝗴𝗲 𝗳𝗼𝗼𝘁𝘄𝗲𝗮𝗿 𝗮𝗻𝗱 ‘𝗺𝗲𝗲𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗶𝘀𝘁’ @𝗸𝗮𝘀𝗸𝗳𝗮𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗼𝗻 — 𝗮 𝗰𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗮𝗯𝗼𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝘄𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝗱𝗲𝘀𝗶𝗴𝗻, 𝗮𝗿𝘁𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗲𝗰𝗵𝗻𝗼𝗹𝗼𝗴𝘆 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗲 𝘁𝗼𝗴𝗲𝘁𝗵𝗲...
14/07/2025

𝟯𝗗 𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗶𝘁𝗮𝗴𝗲 𝗳𝗼𝗼𝘁𝘄𝗲𝗮𝗿 𝗮𝗻𝗱 ‘𝗺𝗲𝗲𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗶𝘀𝘁’ @𝗸𝗮𝘀𝗸𝗳𝗮𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗼𝗻 — 𝗮 𝗰𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗮𝗯𝗼𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝘄𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝗱𝗲𝘀𝗶𝗴𝗻, 𝗮𝗿𝘁𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗲𝗰𝗵𝗻𝗼𝗹𝗼𝗴𝘆 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗲 𝘁𝗼𝗴𝗲𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿.

At KASK Fashion Show, first-year BA student .moock paired her ‘meet the artist silhouette’ with a 3D printed Indian Bantu lookalike. A gently reimagined version of the buffalo handmade Kolhapuri footwear — still walking today.

At FFF we have worked for over a decade with Kolhapuri artisans, in collaboration with Toehold, in craft and research practices. These collaborations embody the very values needed in global fashion — respect, reciprocity, and co-creation.
​
Captured by Sybilline Deroo.

Supported by the Body Plural, one of the five research clusters at KASK & Conservatorium (funded by HOGENT Arts Research Fund).

One of the highlights of : Laaroussa Quartet, created by Selma and Sofiane Ouissi — a powerful tribute to the potter wom...
10/07/2025

One of the highlights of : Laaroussa Quartet, created by Selma and Sofiane Ouissi — a powerful tribute to the potter women of Sejnane, Tunisia, with a brilliant .michael as one of the four dancers. The piece explores the body as a site of memory, resistance, and transformation.

Outside the performance, Selma walked the festival grounds wearing the San-dal — a sandal as walking archive, handmade by San cobbler artists in Nhoma, Namibia. A double homage bridging craft, land, and embodied knowledge.

Merci. شكرًا. Mi wi aah.

Laaroussa Quartet, Selma & Sofiane Ouissi, 2025 © Christophe Raynaud de Lage / Festival d’Avignon

One of the highlights of : Laaroussa Quartet, created by Selma and Sofiane Ouissi — a powerful tribute to the potter wom...
10/07/2025

One of the highlights of : Laaroussa Quartet, created by Selma and Sofiane Ouissi — a powerful tribute to the potter women of Sejnane, Tunisia, with a brilliant .michael as one of the four dancers. The piece explores the body as a site of memory, resistance, and transformation.

Outside the performance, Selma walked the festival grounds wearing the San-dal — a sandal as walking archive, handmade by San cobbler artists in Nhoma, Namibia. A double homage bridging craft, land, and embodied knowledge.

Merci. شكرًا. Mi wi aah.

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