Miyabi is a female-centric futsal shoe designed for wider foot morphologies of Asian women. During my summer internship in Japan, I participated in Futsal Tokyo Meetups on rooftops after work. I was surprised that most players wore adidas and Nike boots purchased online. Where was the local option? Miyabi pays homage the Japanese origins of Onitsuka Tiger with naturally-dyed leather materials and premium craftsmanship.
Workflow: Brand Analysis, Market Research, Color & Materials, Adobe Ilustrator, Procreate
Guided Question: How might we design a women's futsal shoe that meets female performance needs while celebrating Japanese craftsmanship of Onitsuka Tiger?
Research Insights
I conducted a comparative product analysis, Qualtrics survey of futsal and indoor soccer players in the US and Tokyo, Japan, as well as Japanese color trend research to inform the footwear brief.
Key Findings
60% of surveyed players prefer leather uppers.
Many surveyed participants list ball control as the top consideration when buying futsal footwear.
Court shoes must have non-marking rubber outsoles.
Moderately complex outsole patterns provide optimal functional and perceived performance (Ismail et al., 2021). Too much traction risks foot fixation and knee and ankle injury for female players.
Color Stories
Incense, Sakuramochi, and Indigo Bath are drawn from elements of Japanese culture and climate. Indigo Bath is my chosen hero color as it would not be too distracting on the courts, while still communicating performance, whereas Incense is too vibrant and Sakuramochi is too floral.
Patterning on a running last made it difficult to achieve the form needed for a flat shoe. Nonetheless, I learned about footwear construction
