High Concept Streetwear
"Scrappy" Shoes
Brand new, Never worn
Size 9US M

From artist Boy Worldwide

I was discussing the concept of the Scrappy shoes with the factory.

I told them that they could gather any leftovers and scraps for the project. Then, I told them to combine these materials and parts in any way they wished. The scraps could be sewn on in any manner they wanted.

At one point, I was given an estimated completion time of 1 month. Well, a month later, I checked in with them… and to my surprise, no work had been done at all!

I was told the factory and the entire staff were extremely confused. They had never been told to do whatever they wanted before.

At this point, I worked with an interpreter and had them visit the factory to explain the concept again. After this meeting, we found about 10 employees who really “got it.”

In China, there is a strong cultural difference in regards to embracing individual creativity. Furthermore, if you step into the environment of a factory - where everything must be produced according to a client’s specs - the idea of individual creativity is even further removed.

In some ways, I wanted to change that. With this project, I wanted every person who interacted with this project to explore their own creativity. I wanted this to be almost a cathartic process for them: for once, they could do whatever they wanted without negative consequence.

In the past, I took on the role of the designer and artist for my footwear creations.

But this time — I passed the torch on to the factory. I wanted them to become the artist. I wanted them to realize how capable they were of creating something beautiful themselves.

Given the right circumstances, I think each of us are all capable of being wonderful artists. Sometimes we just need a little extra push.

The Scrappy project was a way for me to let go and to discover others’ creativity. A process which could hopefully show others how amazing they can be.