Gallery: What If We Grew Our Shoes Instead of Making Them?
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*Natural Selection*, a new footwear collection by Liz Ciokajlo, was inspired by advances in synthetic biology and 3-D printing. *Photo: [Stephanie Potter Corwin](http://www.stephaniepottercorwin.com/)*
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Ciokajlo's collection shows that shoes can be high concept, high fashion, and high tech simultaneously. *Photo: [Stephanie Potter Corwin](http://www.stephaniepottercorwin.com/)*
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The shoes are made from a combination of bespoke materials comprised of coconut fibers, flax, wool, and environmentally friendly resins. *Photo: [Stephanie Potter Corwin](http://www.stephaniepottercorwin.com/)*
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The environmental bona fides of the collection are clear, but are subordinate to the shoe's style and comfort. *Photo: [Stephanie Potter Corwin](http://www.stephaniepottercorwin.com/)*
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The novel materials and production processes create new design spaces, like the idea of mixing and matching components. *Photo: [Stephanie Potter Corwin](http://www.stephaniepottercorwin.com/)*
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Portions of the shoes are made with 3-D printers, but the designer was adamant not to leave her models with sweaty feet caused by impermeable plastic parts. *Photo: [Stephanie Potter Corwin](http://www.stephaniepottercorwin.com/)*
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Ciokajlo's collection is environmentally friendly but also focused on being fashionable. *Photo: [Stephanie Potter Corwin](http://www.stephaniepottercorwin.com/)*
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Materials have strong emotional connections as well as functional specifications. Ciokajlo tried to balance both and wasn't afraid to use low tech materials like leather when it made sense for a design. *Photo: [Stephanie Potter Corwin](http://www.stephaniepottercorwin.com/)*
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Ciokajlo was experimenting with new materials, but she has over a decade of experience. She knew to make a chunky heel work, she needed to build it with a cavity, which does double duty as a way to bring fresh air to the wearer's feet. *Photo: [Stephanie Potter Corwin](http://www.stephaniepottercorwin.com/)*
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Liz Ciokajlo hopes that one day shoes will be "grown" instead of manufactured and is working on fabricating new biologically inspired materials until scientists catch up. *Photo: [Stephanie Potter Corwin](http://www.stephaniepottercorwin.com/)*
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The manufacturing process used to make these shoes is very similar to the one used to manufacture IKEA furniture, but the results couldn't be more different. *Photo: [Stephanie Potter Corwin](http://www.stephaniepottercorwin.com/)*
