Rains debuts 3D printed boot with Zellerfeld at PFW

Outerwear lifestyle brand Rains has unveiled a 3D printed boot with Zellerfeld during its autumn/winter 2023 show at Paris Fashion Week.

The ‘Puffer Boot’ is the first-of-its-kind silhouette, designed by Rains and produced by Zellerfeld, which develops 3D-printing technology. The intentional sculptural appearance reminiscent of a stone carving highlights an “exciting future” for the brand, added Rains in the press release, as it looks to venture “into a new era of footwear”.

According to the brand, the shoe also features a newly developed printed puffer element on the instep, reminiscent of Rains’ design codes. The puffer elements are 90 percent air within the printed structures, explains Rains.

The innovative approach to puffer elements and oversized shapes “shows a new dimension of possibilities for footwear” from Zellerfeld, while keeping all the benefits of 3D printing, such as the monomaterial being fully recyclable, with no stitches or glued components and no human construction required.

Rains added that the footwear collaboration signals a “look-ahead” for both brands, combining functional design for fashion and integrating cutting-edge technologies.