WSJ Future of Everything Festival Recap
A recap of our experience at FoE Fest and what we learned
On May 21—23, 2024, WSJ’s the Future of Everything Festival brought together the people and projects shaping the tapestry of the future. Over at The Lab (an immersive showcase of pioneering technologies), we had our second unveiling of Studio OS after a successful first exhibit at Milan Design Week.
HILOS was placed next to some very cool industry-adjacent Lab participants such as Prota Fiori, handmade Italian shoes using upcycled apple skins (they were beautiful!), Project B, an on-demand knitting tech that uses 3D body scans to produce custom bras, Future You, an interactive AI platform that lets you chat with a virtual version of yourself set in the future, and Zero10, an AR mirror that lets you do virtual try-ons of clothes and accessories.
What We Learned
From our footwear display alone, it wasn’t immediately apparent that our products were 3D printed. While that’s a good thing, it also meant that casual visitors skirted right past our exhibit with the assumption that they were just regular shoes. The a-ha moment occurred when the more curious took pause, then sheepishly asked, “What’s so special about these?” and then learned that every product was 3D printed, particularly the shoes combined with more traditional materials like leather and knit. The novelty of 3D-printed footwear may have produced a certain visual archetype among the masses embodying a mono-material with complex, exaggerated geometries or alien-like architecture. HILOS brand DNA is all about elevating craft with tech, expanding the full spectrum of materials and design possibility in digitally manufactured footwear. We’re excited for a future show and tell as our lighthouse brand partnerships unfold to the public.
