I am on the verge of kicking myself for not entering the Play-Doh Kicks contest. This contest gave designers one hour to mold the most lifelike pair of play-doh kicks that they could.
The contest was held by Core77 and Sneaker Freaker magazine with a Play-Doh model Adidas SL 72 taking the top prize out of 120 entrants. You can see the winning shoe along with a few other awesome designs in the featured gallery.
Squishy Shoe Sculptures
The Play-Doh Kicks Challenge is for Preschool Sneakerheads
Trend Themes
1. Play-doh-enabled Design - The Play-Doh Kicks contest demonstrates the potential for using Play-Doh as a design medium in the fashion industry.
2. Sculptural Shoes - The Squishy Shoe Sculptures trend highlights the growing interest in playful and sculptural footwear design.
3. Amateur Design Competitions - The popularity of the Play-Doh Kicks challenge suggests a growing market for amateur design competitions that incorporate fun and accessible materials.
Industry Implications
1. Fashion Design - The Squishy Shoe Sculptures trend presents a disruptive innovation opportunity for designers to explore more unconventional materials and construction techniques in footwear design.
2. Toy Manufacturing - The Play-Doh Kicks contest represents a potential avenue for toy manufacturers to tap into the adult market by marketing Play-Doh as a creative outlet for design and self-expression.
3. Online Communities - The Play-Doh Kicks challenge demonstrates the potential for online communities to foster a sense of camaraderie among amateur designers and hobbyists and to provide platforms for showcasing their work.