TECNICA FORGE: Part 1, The Design phase

It started with a BLANK PAGE but with a great technology. The C.A.S. 

I believe every designer wish to start one day a project with a Team of experienced individuals. A sum of people strong enough to set a vision, to raise a challenging venture, to open their mind, to accept the discomfort of the critics and shift to a new generation of products. 

This is the very first time that I can directly witness the support of a founder, his son, the Tecnica group CEO, the head of marketing in sponsoring all together this initiative from nothing to what follows.

When there is a blank page, Design has a solid responsibility. This manifesto represents the base study, the main philosophy of the whole story. 

In this particular case, Experience is key but not only. This page states the new umbrella of the Footwear initiative and the design language,  

At Tecnica, we took a wide wet sponge and wiped out the black board. we erased the stereotypical style that composed the last 20 years of the outdoor footwear styles.

We questioned why an outdoor shoe is supposed to be designed with zig-zagging side supports and a band that runs from the heel to the forefoot with a name written over.

It doesn't matter the brands, it became an outdoor footwear classic invented by NIKE footwear designers back in the 80's and slowly stolen by the whole market just because it made sense at that time. A future article will soon follow.

The Logo, Maybe the content of a probable next article. I developed a full content of logo winners and losers study that moved us away of the outdoor stereotype.

We took base on the historic logotype of the the Tecnica brand. We decided to celebrate the brand's comeback with a slight touch of character through the analogy of the ICE PICK

 

Consequent to back and forth discussions, logo iterations, we projected the T "spada" over different silhouettes considering the position, the sizes and the left and right sides.

Unlike an F or a P, we have been lucky to build from a mirrored friendly letter which doesn't suffer from a logo inclination. The goal was: the T has to be perceived in whatever situation.

Design language is about cohesive message and brand consistency.

Cohesive because the whole project is built around the foot customization. Once the words CUSTOM and FIT were pronounced, The anatomy had to be initiatory.

Brand consistency consisted to import the dots language created by the ski boot department in the scope of the horizontal technology message. 

It all start with the foot.....it all start and last with the last.

Nothing new here in theory but everything new in the outdoor field because the most important asset of the project is in this picture above. 

All I can say is: This last is the result of decades of tries and errors. We took 4 different lasts proven areas to turn the outcome as maybe the most comfy volume of the trekking world.

Inspiration page born form the manifesto. A trekking shoe which fits like a football shoe, lace like a training shoe, grips better than an average product, finer and  richer than a conventional trekking boot.  

One of the exploration chart designed in meeting with all actors with the picture in color and the built-in ground adapt sandwich.

One point here, The best projects I have been involved-in are the ones where the Genesis of the product is built together, where testing pattern engineering and development are taken into account as high as design and marketing. 

Parity and Respect with collaborators are the ground zero of the inaugural but actors competencies and self motivations are key to success. 

Final concept rendering of the FORGE selected by the collegial approval crew. We planned to address one product only, a nubuck version. 

The rendering shows an upper made with a full grain leather, we even thought of a Kangaroo leather upper. But the market reality centered us back. 

The style of product had to be clean and easy to understand. Simplicity enriched with a sum a small details, a kind of answers to the athleleisure trend still with serious technical features. 

This product was thought to be best suitable out in the mountain, down to the city with unparalleled comfort.

 

What if we try a full fabric version? 

This is the selected final rendering still Gore-tex featured FORGE S,  We had pro and cons discussions along the development of the project. Is the market ready for a double Trekking boot introduction?  

Again Tecnica took the risk of launching a boot that distinguish itself from the market and assumed the "sport character" of this version that became later the flagship boot.

Vibram supported our initiative in driving, counseling and approving our design submission. They granted us their Mega-grip rubber formula.

The dotted areas are representing the customization areas, these very parts of the boots that will fully adapt to every individual malleoles, heel and arch of the foot.

The Forge and the Forge S are offering a fully adaptable inlay sole. 

The Forge and the Forge S are offering an overlap upper with the benefit of adapting to the anatomy of the user and break free of points of pressure. 

The Forge and the Forge S are offering an auto blocking lacing system created by the friction that occurs in between the kevlar reinforced fabrics laces and loops. 

The principle assure the adjustment in the vamp area while easing the collar closure.

The FORGE S, The Flagship boot

The whole collection, men and women, leather and Synthetic versions. 12 colors for a launch.

The Tecnica Forge project is one of the rare privilege offered to a designer. A talented team, a supportive top management, a blank page, a new design language, the best subside technologies, a new generation of product in a conservative segment. 

Could I ask for more?