Kites, tuk-tuks and sustainability: the sneaker- designs from Pakistan

Kites, tuk-tuks and sustainability: the sneaker- designs from Pakistan

It’s been a while now since you voted and chose two winners from the designs proposed by university students in Berlin. Now it’s time for our colleagues on this project from Lahore! You have six designs to choose from, and we’ll produce a limited edition of the winning shoe.

If you remember, our designer Johanna has been working with students from the HTW Berlin University of Applied Sciences in Berlin and Beaconhouse University Lahore in Pakistan to come up with a limited edition “sneaker without borders”. Below you can see the results from the Beaconhouse Textiles, Accessories and Fashion Design students who study under the supervision of teachers Rohma Kahn and Imam Sheik.

“I’m so moved by the students’ intensive, unique approach to the issue of sustainability”,

says Johanna. Two dominant themes emerged in the Pakistani students’ approach that were also different from the emphasis by the students in Berlin: cultural heritage and the aspect of infrastructural challenges.

As examples, Johanna points out the focus in the Asian designs on the themes of kites and tuk-tuks, also known in Lahore as “Bajaji”. She explains, “There is a strong need to nurture cultural heritage, also against the backdrop of sustainability, for example by cleaning up cultural sites”, a job that the government often neglects.

The kites also represent a popular traditional form of New Year’s celebrations. However, such celebrations are currently banned by the government because of prior cases of death and injury linked to the kite lines and the official state’s general reluctance to indicate approval of the backgrounds for these festivities. The students’ aim is to transport the traditions of using yellow to express celebration of the season and of people assembling for such celebrations into the present and beyond to the future. Thematically, the idea can be understood as attempting to “sustainably” master cultural upheavals and the identity crises or even loss that they can cause.

In contrast, the tuk-tuks design confronts the issue of “traffic breakdown”. According to Johanna this problem is far more urgent than in Berlin, for instance. And its effects on the people of Lahore are direct and immediate, with many suffering from a persistent cough caused by the ever-present smog there.

With the middle-class growing and people subsequently buying more and more cars, what can be done? Questions like these were discussed extensively in the university course.

The results are very diverse and exciting. Please visit our Facebook page and “Like” your favorites! This campaign is running from Monday, June 4^th through Friday, June 8^th until 8 p.m. (CET).

We will produce a limited edition of 100 pairs of the design that receives the most “Likes”. And from among all you voters we will also choose at random one lucky winner of the sneaker of your choice. We’re relying on you! : )