Carolin Holzhuber isn’t just designing shoes – she’s sculpting dreams. Her avant-garde creations, often seen as walking pieces of art, challenge the limits of fashion with their surreal forms and rebellious spirit. In a world obsessed with mass production, Holzhuber’s artisanal approach stands out, creating footwear that’s not just worn but experienced.
h: Your pieces are often described as wearable sculptures. Do you consider yourself more of an artist than a designer, and how do you see these identities intersecting in your work?
Carolin Holzhuber: I have such a high admiration for art and artists, therefore I wouldn’t dare to call myself an artist but it is a compliment if others see me as an artist and my work as art.
I consider myself a designer and artisan. My aim is to create footwear that has a sculptural approach but still has a wearable function in a wider context. I prefer for the spectators to decide if they perceive my work as art or design. It is important to me that the pieces I create evoke emotions in people. No matter if they love it, hate it or are confused by it as long as they are not indifferent towards the piece I have reached my goal. That is perhaps where my design work could intersect with art, art is supposed to make you feel something, to generate strong emotions and to communicate ideas.
h: Your footwear designs are known for their surreal and sculptural qualities, often challenging the concepts of traditional shoe design. What drives your creative process?
CH: Life itself is a big drive for my creations. Each collection has a specific theme that can often be philosophical or even political. I like to question the status quo and want others to do the same when looking at my work. That is why certain details in my work are very important and they can only be discovered and understood when looking closely at the footwear pieces.
Sometimes my work also functions to me in a therapeutic way, usually, I have better ideas when I am in a sad or dark mood and try to overcome these feelings. I want to create something that reflects those feelings but at the same time also always gives hope to see the light within this darkness and at last conquer it.
Another drive is my inner urge to create. To use my brain and my hands and turn the raw materials into a shape that gives me a certain satisfaction. So the last thing I actually think about when designing a new collection is a shoe.