Wait, what? Is that a guy with broken feet or sprained ankles? It’s actually a pair of sneakers meant to look like a medical boot!
Meet the AC1 boot by Brooklyn-based mischief-makers MSCHF created to explore the lighter side of hopping around in walking boots meant for rehabilitation from a foot injury.
Designer: MSCHF
As good as the sneaker design seems for the Gen-Z, the inspiration story is equally interesting. In 2015 CEO Lukas Bentel saw a person waking in medical boots down Prince Street in New York. He thought it to be the “most interestingly designed object,” especially the function-over-fashion character. According to him pondering over objects that aren’t intended to be aesthetic and given the least attention when it comes to design, can end up “looking really interesting and out-there.”
The result, AC.1 plastic Aircast boots by the art collective mirroring the look of an orthopedic show with complete details like Velcro straps and holes. There’s even the removable water-resistant inner neoprene sock liner to keep the realism going. What distinguishes this flexible molded rubber Aircast boot from a real medical boot that’s meant for slow excruciating walks, is the presence of the branding logo on all sides. To keep the hip-hop shoe comfortable for all-day use, MSCHF has loaded it with the patented Wowcomfy tech cushions for the underfoot and high-traction outsole.
Just for the record, the maker has explicitly mentioned that the sneaker is not meant for injured foot support. The MSCHF AC-1 will be available on October 19 with a price tag of $450 USD, so if you want to own an out-of-the-box boot, this is the one to burn money on. Apparently, you can get a couple of real medical boots for the same price!
