March 31, 2002

7:57 AM

The pinacle of automobile racing now provides technology for your feet. Pininfarina designed Scuderia Ferrari replica shoe based on their Formula One cars, made by Fila is here. "The 3 Action system provides superior cushioning and the Speed Tech shank offers maximum responsiveness, stability and torsion control. And, so that you may choose your path, the racing tire-inspired outsole provides maximum traction on every surface."
posted by riffola (21 comments total)

Fila will have Jennifer Capriati sport Ferrari replica gear, and they've also got a seperate $9 - 10 million contract with Michael Schumacher, and should launch Schumi gear soon.
posted by riffola at 7:58 AM on March 31, 2002

Sorry, I should've added this to the previous comment.

Michael Schumacher is a 4 time F1 World Champion, and the current reigning World Champion. He might be on his way to win his fifth, and he is also the most sucessful Formula One driver ever, and most agree he is definitely one of the best ever.

Pininfarina has been desiging some of the greatest road cars ever. He has been closely working with Ferarri for over 50 years.

Scuderia Ferrari is Ferrari's racing team.
posted by riffola at 8:04 AM on March 31, 2002

Riffola, no offense, but--why is this interesting? What am I missing?
posted by rodii at 8:05 AM on March 31, 2002

It's a Pininfarina shoe, that's what is interesting.
posted by riffola at 8:06 AM on March 31, 2002

go peddle your dreams elsewhere
posted by clavdivs at 8:42 AM on March 31, 2002

pininfarina seems to design all sorts of things. they also designed light rail trains for san francisco muni.
posted by awadwatt at 8:48 AM on March 31, 2002

Mmmmm, new shoes. I love new shoes. Thanks for the link, riff!
posted by honkzilla at 8:54 AM on March 31, 2002

These are nice but the KOBETWO I saw on Kicksology today just blew me away. Just incredible.
posted by jedrek at 8:57 AM on March 31, 2002

this story also reminds me of the adidas/audi collaboration. what is it with car companies designing shoes?
posted by awadwatt at 9:03 AM on March 31, 2002

Cameras also.
posted by lucien at 9:21 AM on March 31, 2002

Do I need to change shoes if it rains?
posted by vbfg at 9:22 AM on March 31, 2002

reminds me of this onion article Revolutionary Insole Combines Five Forms of Pseudoscience

From the original link:

...the Speed Tech shank offers maximum responsiveness, stability and torsion control.

From the Onion:

Its patented Magna-Grid design, which features more than 200 isometrically aligned Contour Points™, actually soothes while it heals, restoring the foot's natural bio-flow.
posted by zpousman at 11:10 AM on March 31, 2002

Nice lookin' shoe! Too bad they don't make 'em in a 14...
posted by black8 at 11:38 AM on March 31, 2002

Forza Ferrari.

Nice job in Brazil today. Well, not considering Barrichello. Guy can't get a break..
posted by dopamine at 12:09 PM on March 31, 2002

Do you guys actually like that kobetwo design nightmare? Is it some sort of boy thing I just don't understand? I saw some yesterday while I was out shopping (flash), and I think it is one of the ugliest shoes I've ever seen. In fact, it was even uglier than what his cohort Shaq did to us in the playoffs a couple of years ago. (not that I'm bitter or anything)

And now, back to your regularly scheduled thread. The Ferrari shoes are actually non-hideous. But what do I know? I had a pair of these but with blue straps.
posted by verso at 12:13 PM on March 31, 2002

Do you guys actually like that kobetwo design nightmare? Is it some sort of boy thing I just don't understand?

It is hideously ugly, but manages to be so in such a brilliant way that I cannot help but be attracted to it. I'm trying to figure out what it's evoking, but I can't quite place it ... Guggenheim? No. Lincoln Memorial? No...

Oh, wait, I've got it! It's the USS Arizona Memorial shoe!

I look forward to the KOBETHREE, which will be soft on the inside but have an exterior steel skeleton that provides immense ankle support. In other words, it'll look just like the WTC.
posted by aaron at 1:31 PM on March 31, 2002

I love the Kobetwo, seriously. Great, modern design, an attempt to do something different. I spent a couple hours this evening looking over shoes and this is one of the few shoes that stuck out. Generaly, the stuff that Adidas is doing is really nice, definately better than the crap comming out of Nike (designwise).
posted by jedrek at 2:32 PM on March 31, 2002

can we take a moment too all collectively laugh at sketchers?
posted by atom128 at 8:39 PM on March 31, 2002

This is 4/1, right?
posted by ParisParamus at 4:01 AM on April 1, 2002

this story also reminds me of the adidas/audi collaboration. what is it with car companies designing shoes?

Eurotrash like both, so the sale synergies are attractive.
posted by ParisParamus at 4:02 AM on April 1, 2002

Audi eurotrash? Hm... actually, the stuff that's comming out of America is trash. Whale-like SUVs and gas guzzling sedans. It's been decades since the US auto industry has put out anything interesting. Heavy, underpowered behemoths. The new stuff - even the concept cars - has been pretty weak, except when US carmakers heavily borrow from europe.

But that's just my opinion.
posted by jedrek at 2:34 PM on April 1, 2002