Sujiit Chavhan
Footwear Designer
I’ve already learned a lot about shoe soles, which were never really introduced in detail during my university days. The depth of knowledge shared has given me a new perspective, and I’ve already started applying these learnings in my own design work.
I can see a clear improvement in how I approach problem-solving, material selection, design thinking, and overall planning. It has definitely lifted the quality of my designs, and I feel more mindful now when it comes to designing soles.
João Ferraz
Footwear Designer @ Forever Soles
"Defne is one of the best professionals i've met in this area. She has a huge passion for sole design, is very creative and has deep technical knowledge. Without a doubt, her course has enriched my knowledge of sole design. For those who want to develop deep knowledge in this area, Defne is one of the leaders worldwide."
Ibai Fletas
3D Designer @ Camper
"Defne's course was my first real introduction to the footwear world, with her I learned the whole process of sole design, from brief to final product and what makes a great, functional design. There is not a day I won't use the knowledge she taught me."
Tatiana Kalashnik
Lead Footwear Designer
"First of all, thank you so much for your course—it was a true treasure. I have a degree in footwear technology and over 10 years of experience, but the detailed knowledge about soles you provided was something we never learned in university. Before your course, sole development was trial and error for me.
After completing your course, everything changed. As the lead designer for a women’s line, I developed over 15 soles in two seasons, and my colleagues began coming to me for advice.
When I moved to the U.S. from Ukraine, the course helped me to quickly land a job. Developing soles is now a major part of my role, and I no longer need to consult others. By the way, my less-than-perfect English didn’t stop me from succeeding at an American company, as my portfolio and knowledge spoke for themselves."
Jennifer Jennings
Footwear Design Lead @ Old Navy
"I had the pleasure of taking Defne’s Professional Sole Design Masterclass. Her professional experience in outsole and footwear design was taught in an understandable and approachable way. Her presentations were always engaging and clear. Although we were a few time zones apart, she was always timely with answering
any questions I had. I highly recommend taking her courses."
Woby Lang
Barefoot Shoe Specialist
Overall it's worth every penny!
It gave a balanced approach of creative thinking and technical understanding to footwear tooling. From materials, color, form, function production methods, and sustainable practices, the course really exposes you to everything you need to know about designing the tooling for nearly any type of desired footwear.
The user experience was straightforward and the content was easy to comprehend. You watch and learn and can turn on subtitles and change playback speed. Camilla and Defne were very prompt and responsive in dealing with any questions.
Coby Laureijs
Freelance Footwear Designer @ Tamaris
"The course is very broad as it shares information about functionalities of outsole designs for example performance shoes, but it also covers the benefits of materials and why to use them. My favorite parts were the assignments to create our own outsoles. To share and see what classmates have created and get professional feedback from Defne was incredibly valuable. She is a true professional."
Charles Astrella
Senior Designer @ Footsoldiers
"I can certainly say that the course was invaluable to me, not just in learning some key fundamentals of sole design in a variety of categories, but also in getting a clear and detailed insight into the benefits and limitations of various manufacturing techniques and processes. I have never actually had the opportunity to visit a factory in person, but I am sure your course has worked wonders to help me bridge that gap."
Fatma Zehra Ermez
Industrial Designer @ YDS
Before the masterclass, I had no knowledge whatsoever about positioning plastic last acording to side and outsole. The course explained very clearly how to draw the frame lines for both the lateral and outsole. In addition, I didn't know what points to pay attention to when drawing the side section in terms of production constraints. I am only familiar with PU and TPU when it comes to material-specific technical details.
Thanks to the Masterclass, I learned a lot about using other materials in design. This is information that we could only learn from another manufacturer. For this reason, I feel very fortunate to have gained this knowledge through the Masterclass. It's wonderful that such a wealth of knowledge is being provided in such a short time. Additionally, the practical training between the chapters is very good for experiencing what has been taught.
Nico
Footwear Designer - Alexander Wang
I had just graduated from a Marketing degree & recently discovered that footwear design was an actual career so I wanted to learn as much as possible. When I found the masterclass I had no doubts - I was very familiar with Vibram & so I was really excited to learn from Defne. After taking the course I applied the technical knowledge into a New Balance / Pensole apprenticeship application & I ended up getting accepted - my career took off from there.
I believe opportunities have presented themselves thanks to the course, - One of the best things was that it covered soles from fashion to athletic & everywhere in between. I believe best designers should be able to design anything - having that range has for sure been a big plus in my career.
Ingrid Brandth
Designer / Developer of Athletic Footwear
"I am impressed by all the information you put together. You have a very clear, fun and easy way of communicating everything. I especially enjoyed watching your live sole design process. This is truly very unique and so cool!"
Natalia Albariño
Footwear Developer JOHN FOOS
"From the beginning, it was clear that this was not just any tutorial, but an elaborate journey into the heart of footwear manufacturing.
Every facet of sole design was covered in meticulous detail.
The course has abundant examples of different types of soles on the market, which show the complexities of the manufacturing processes. Additionally, seeing Defne's personal design approach adds an intriguing dimension, offering insights into creativity and problem-solving that complement the course's technical content."
Marieke Veneklaas
Shoe Technologist
"Thanks for everything you share in this course! It is really inspiring to see you sketching, and while sketching myself, I've realized how much information you know and apply instantly."
Elizaveta Timar
Footwear Developer @ Birkenstock
"You can get this knowledge just through work experience, no other way, therefore it is very valuable. These days I am preparing to change my footwear sector from sport/ casual, to more high-performance, I believe your course will help me have a much better start!"
Eleonora Aquili
Design Coordinator @ Michelin
"It was a very thorough course where I could improve and amplify my knowledge about design, materials, moulds and processes for the design and development of soles. Defne is an invaluable resource, professional and expert in the sector, who was always very helpful and precise."