United Nude is thrilled to announce an exhibition and Pop-Up store at Selfridges, London – the largest shoe department in the world! The opening event was held on Thursday February 23rd with a live performance by Dutch artist, Niels SHOE Meulman, whose work will remain on display until March 25th.

His work and the exclusive SHOE x United Nude one-off collaboration shoes will be for sale after the show via United Nude. Street art enthusiasts, shoe lovers and limited edition fans should make sure not to miss out.

About SHOE

Niels SHOE Meulman is a Dutch artist, born, raised and based in Amsterdam. SHOE earned his stripes in the global graffiti scene in the 80s for his pioneering style, adding a distinct approach to the discipline. Niels SHOE Meulman revolutionized the art of writing with Calligraffiti, an art form that fuses calligraphy and graffiti. His more recent painting style can be described as abstract expressionism with a calligraphic origin.

United Nude is honored to open an exhibition and Pop-Up store at the exclusive Parisian department store Galeries Lafayette. Boasting the biggest shoe department in France, Galeries Lafayette is known for its high class collections and uncompromising sense of style and luxury.

Exhibition

1. The Lo Res project

United Nude’s Lo Res (short for low resolution) project is an innovative design method using computer software to design new products and re-design existing objects.

On display are never before exhibited prototypes of Lo Res Shoes, Lo Res bracelets and an entire series of Lo Res design Lamborghini sculptures.

2. Iris van Herpen x United Nude collaboration shoes

On display are four collaboration shoes designed and made for Iris van Herpen’s bespoke runway shows. Designer Iris van Herpen is known for pushing the boundaries of Haute Couture. Her last two collections were shown in Paris as an official guest of the Chambre Syndicale de la Haute Couture, one of the greatest honors any fashion designer can aspire to.

Key to Iris van Herpen’s designs is novelty and craftsmanship in both technique and textile. Her style’s avant-garde spirit combines raw and technologically-produced materials. Iris van Herpen and United Nude have collaborated for five consecutive collections, joining forces to create one of the most advanced and innovative collaborations in the world of fashion today.

3. A selection of United Nude’s iconic shoes from previous years

The shoes on display are from the United Nude Ultra range. It is here where one can see best what United Nude’s design is all about: Elegant minimalist designs aimed at balancing perfect proportions with what appear to be impossible shapes by turning to architecture. The unique structural materialization of the shoes seems to defy gravity at times, resulting in the slimmest, lightest and perhaps some of the most beautiful women’s high heels ever made.

4. United Nude Flat Pack shoe

The United Nude Flat Pack was created as part of an experimental project, initiated by the Spanish performance-artist Alicia Framis. Inviting a select group of artists, designers and architects to explore futuristic, radical and even political concepts, the “Moon Life” project was a speculation and exploration of humanity’s future life and travel in space. Considering extreme environmental conditions, as well as the effects of shifting gravitational pulls, United Nude’s Flat Pack shoe is light, durable and compact and can also be adjusted and customized according to special and singular needs.

Dutch designer Mattijs van Bergen is celebrated for his curvaceous fashion and freshly feminine designs. On February 5 he closed Amsterdam Fashion week with a show at the Heineken Music Hall that stunned the media and turned into the biggest event of the week.

Named “one of the most promising young designers” (British Vogue), and “Crown prince of Dutch Fashion” (Dutch Elle), Mattijs van Bergen showed two collections that emphasized quality tailoring and detailing, one of which was designed in collaboration with clothing brand Aaiko.

The footwear for the show was especially designed by United Nude in collaboration with Mattijs. An exclusive limited edition of these Mattijs x United Nude shoes will be available from United Nude in spring 2012.

United Nude prides itself on being one of the most collaborative design companies in the fashion world today, working together with new and upcoming designers as well as world renowned names to create surprising and original looks that fuse together different talents and ideas. The collaboration with Mattijs was United Nude’s 2nd collaboration this year, with the 3rd to be launched later this month.

Rem D Koolhaas, Creative Director United Nude, said: “Mattijs and United Nude have been talking about collaborating for a while and now was the right time. Even though this is already our third collaboration with a Dutch designer this year, we went for it. Joining forces in the creative field is part of the United Nude spirit and we are proud to be perhaps one of the most collaborative brands in the industry.”

MATTIJS

Mattijs van Bergen (1980) launched his label MATTIJS in 2008. He studied for a Bachelor of Arts Degree at the Institute of Fine Arts in Arnhem, The Netherlands and followed with a Masters Degree at the Central Saint Martins College in London. His neoclassical designs are defined by a distinctive use of color, high quality fabrics and fine craftsmanship. The clothes are fashion forward, but are a constant source of elegance. Shapely tailoring and sculptural pleating define the label’s signature style, and Mattijs continues to develop his brand’s distinctive identity to the delight of his loyal following.


Catwalk photos by Jeroen Snijders

Among members of the fashion world, Iris van Herpen is known for pushing the boundaries of Haute Couture. On January 23rd she showed for the second time as an official guest of the Chambre Syndicale de la Haute Couture in Paris, and once again wowed the audience.

Models stepped out in “Fang” shoes with ten sharp teeth to each foot – the product of van Herpen’s fifth successful collaboration with United Nude. The shape of the wedge is so complex that each one consists of fiberglass and carbon fiber, made in a slow molding process. It is not yet certain whether these shoes will come to market as a limited edition, as was the case with previous Iris van Herpen x United Nude designs, but it is worth keeping an eye out for them.



Iris van Herpen

Iris van Herpen’s designs demonstrate fashion as art. Her creations are clear artistic statements through which women can express their unique character. It is no surprise that Bjork and Lady Gaga are part of her devoted clientele.

Her current collection has been inspired by microscopic organisms. The garments are made with her own signature materials, fused with highly detailed craftsmanship and innovative techniques, such as 3D printing. Her style’s avant-garde spirit combines raw and technologically-produced materials, displaying her attraction to radical fabrics, such as leather, synthetic boat rigging, Plexiglas and the whalebones from children’s umbrellas. Her exceptional blends create a sculptured effect and have an astonishing visual impact.

Spring Summer 2012

The main colors of the 2012 Spring-Summer collection are light, specifically white and beige, while also dabbling in the darker areas of the spectrum, such as ray-grey, brown, copper, dark metal silver and
aubergine.

Alongside United Nude, Iris van Herpen also collaborated on this collection with designer Stephen Jones, artist Bart Hess, architect Isaie Bloch and graphic designer Tara Doughans.

United Nude may take much of its inspiration from architectural structures, yet we do not only attribute these to the fine art of designing shoes. After the launch of the Lo Res shoe and the Lo Res chair our largest moving ambition is the making of a Lo Res car.

The Lo Res project and its objects are made with the Lo Res design method, developed by United Nude. Playing with the revolutionary virtues of a 3D scanner, United Nude’s computer aided designers found lowering the resolution would break shapes down to a multitude of triangular surfaces, not unlike a cut diamond. The lower the resolution the more abstract the shape.

The Lo Res car series originates from lowering the 3D resolution of a Lamborghini Countach. United Nude life size Lo Res car sculptures have been exhibited at the Gwangju Design Biennale in Korea and another is on permanent display in our New York Flagship store. The conceptual Lo Res car currently being built represents the lowest 3D resolution interpretation of the Lamborghini.

The vehicle will have neither doors nor mirrors. To enter, the entire body will raise electronically. Based on top of a golf cart chassis, the result will be a 50 km/h moving sculpture.

f you cannot wait and you want your Lo Res objects now, we kindly remind you of our shoes and chair which go by the same name.

www.loresproject.com