POLYCHROME V1+2
I had some decisions to make regarding design and construction. Most little decisions could not be made until I decided the important stuff: what last to use, and how to do the sole. I decided to use a copy of the Air Jordan 1 last, and to use a rubber cupsole instead of a stacked sole. Once I had that down, I made a list of the design changes to consider:
-
Change the seam type of the rear panels
-
Rework some of the angles at the back
-
Move heel counter forward
-
Too many rear panels, remove lowest panel
-
Move collar forward, less angular
-
Tongue height to match collar height
-
Add decorative stitching to tongue
-
Mudguard to go all the way around, and slightly higher
Along with design changes, I needed to make some notes on improving construction.
These included:
-
Stitching closer to edges
-
Lining needs a better transition where folded edge meets raw edge
-
Avoid "point" on mudguard at front-center
-
Make sure to stitch eye loops properly
-
Eyestays need to be cleaner
-
Stitch all the around on pull tab
With that in mind, now onto material sourcing. This time around I was using the Varsity colorway. My material selection was based on the design (obviously), but also ease of use in construction and availability. Many materials are hard to get in small quantities, so I had to keep that in mind. Here are some journal notes regarding this process, as well as some in process shots:
The second prototype of the Polychrome was a huge learning process for me. It was the most technical shoe I had made, and I didn't have the guidance of pros to help me this time. I didn't have the sole I wanted yet, so I just completed one upper.