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BENITA, A TRADITIONAL AND INNOVATIVE DESIGN
PROTOTYPES AND MATERIALS FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF 'BENITA'
Last year, Naguisa celebrated its 10th anniversary with a very special activity. To commemorate this important milestone, we decided to hold a shoe design competition that was open to anyone and everyone. Out of all the submissions, the Benita design created by Ana Lubiano was our final winner.
Benita perfectly blends craftsmanship and innovation, two founding values that have consistently represented Naguisa over the past 10 years. The modern espadrille design is constructed over a jute sole. As an alternative to leather, Ana chose a recycled TPU upper with comfy adjustable cotton straps and 3D-printed PLA buckles, this being a 100% biodegradable material.
In the fall, after announcing the contest winner, the design team got in touch with Ana to start developing the Benita prototype. Sofía, who is in charge of our espadrilles collection, led the process of this project stage, working closely with Ana to bring the winning design to life. The goal was to transform the Benita design concept into a tangible and functional prototype while making sure each detail complied with Naguisa’s quality standards.
For the buckles in this design, the team opted to collaborate with our beloved Maria Laspiur, with whom we launched the Concha, Pez, Flotador and Ostra accessories collections in 2022. Maria Laspiur’s talent and experience in designing accessories was an added plus for the project, ensuring the 3D-printed buckles made of 100% biodegradable PLA were functional, hardwearing, and esthetically attractive.
As the prototype development process progressed, the design team met with various technical challenges. Exhaustive trial pieces were created to ensure that all the materials used were suitable, comfortable, and durable. And finally, after months of hard work and dedication, the Benita prototype came into existence!
Want to know more? Come along with us in our brief interview with Ana, in which the designer of Benita goes more in-depth into the creative process, the challenges she faced, and the inspiration behind the design.
What inspired you to create Benita's design and how did you relate it to Naguisa's vision?
Like the name I chose for the model, the inspiration came from my grandmother and the type of shoes I always saw her wearing, never standing still, during the summers in the village. The most direct connection with Naguisa is in the sense of being a comfortable and functional shoe, but it lacked the plus of design, of course. On the other hand, I always related Naguisa with its espadrilles and that rural air that esparto grass has closed the circle and the idea.
What challenges did you face during the development of the Benita prototype?
The most complicated part was developing the buckle and figuring out how it could really work. Although the base was a standard buckle, like the ones found on the fasteners of some backpacks or clothing, adjusting its function to a constant movement, such as walking, and to a different anatomy, the foot, was a bit more complicated. The idea of being a 3D printed piece might not help a lot to work, but Maria did a great job adjusting dimensions, thickness and design to make it close to something feasible.
TPU, RECYCLED MATERIAL
How did you integrate craftsmanship and innovation into Benita's design? What was your approach to balancing both elements?
The mix of craftsmanship and innovation is seen especially in the use of materials. The esparto grass base is part of the craftsmanship in the piece and the monochrome body in recycled TPU with the 3D printed buckles is part of the innovation.
For the body I wanted more innovative, even experimental, materials that would give a more modern look to the sandal, as the design was simple and based on comfort and good foot support. I think the balance comes from the contrast. I was looking to make a difference between a rougher, heavier-looking base in a neutral tone, with a colorful, bright and light body.
What did it mean to you to win the Naguisa shoe contest and to have the opportunity to see your design slowly come to life?
Just winning was exciting, but then when the sandal started to take shape.... Sofia and Claudia were super involved and made me part of the decisions that were being made. When we started to choose materials, to talk about the thickness and thickness of the ribbons or to see the different buckle options that Maria was trying. I could see how it was becoming real and it was very beautiful.