My design for the women’s pump was inspired by a strong impression from the film Midsommar, in which the main character, Dani, undergoes a profound personal transformation. The film is visually stunning, yet very dark. That’s exactly what I wanted to capture in the shoe – a combination of something delicate, like flowers, with something raw and harsh.
The flowers on the shoe come from the Chvíle florist and were originally meant to be thrown away. Instead, I gave them a second chance. This allows the shoe to tell a story of transformation and rebirth – just like in the film. It is also important that the flowers will eventually wilt. This is intentional. The wilting shows that beauty is not eternal and that everything that lives also changes. Just like the main character, who goes through a painful transformation to find herself.
The flowers are attached using elastic and small screw rivets. These resemble thorns – symbolizing that even beautiful things can hurt. This is again a reference to the film, where everything appears beautiful but is dark and terrifying beneath the surface.
Additionally, I shaped the flowers into forms of ancient Nordic runes, which also appear in the film. Each rune has a specific meaning – for example, new beginnings, courage, transformation, or home. This gives the shoe not just decorative value but also symbolism and deeper meaning.
The coarse blue stitching recalls the folk costumes of Sweden, which are important in the film. The blue color feels calm but also slightly sad – reflecting the main atmosphere of the movie. The rough stitches contrast with the delicacy of the flowers, which I wanted to emphasize.
I deliberately chose the pump shape – it is a classic feminine form, but in this context, it transforms into something else. It is not just an elegant shoe, but something like a ritual object that tells a story.
Overall, I wanted to create something that connects beauty with darkness, nature with humanity, and emotion with material. And I believe I succeeded in making a shoe that is not only beautiful but also carries its own meaning.
