Why these 3D-printed sneakers could transform sustainable Italian footwear forever
Felipe Fiallo enters the ADI Design Museum with his 3D-printed Made in Italy sneakers, showcasing sustainable footwear innovation
Every emerging designer experiences a pivotal moment when their vision achieves recognition—when an idea, shaped by passion, research and courage, finds its place among the great names of Italian design. That moment has arrived for Felipe Fiallo, an alumnus of Istituto Marangoni, whose Milan-based brand FIALLO, which he co-founded with his wife Kira Fiallo, has been officially selected for the ADI Design Index 2025.
As a rising voice in the new generation of Italian footwear design, Fiallo embodies the spirit of innovation that bridges technology, sustainability, and craftsmanship. This mindset has earned him a place among the most forward-thinking talents featured in the prestigious annual compendium, which celebrates the most groundbreaking expressions of Made in Italy design and helps define the shortlist for the Compasso d’Oro 2026.
The announcement was made a few days ago at the ADI Design Museum in Milan, where FIALLO’s project Kira 3D—the first 3D-printed sneaker designed and fully produced in Italy—featuring a 3D-engineered super-cushion system (patent pending) invented by Fiallo himself, is now on display.
This recognition places FIALLO among the 344 projects selected by the ADI Permanent Observatory, guided by renowned figures such as Makio Hasuike, Domenico Sturabotti, Laura Traldi, and Francesco Zurlo.
As ADI President Luciano Galimberti noted, “In seventy years of the Compasso d’Oro Award, design has extended its reach into ever-new territories, responding to the transformations of a global and increasingly complex society. The ADI Design Index offers a privileged perspective for professionals and the wider public alike. But observing is not always the same as seeing: with the ADI Design Index 2025, we aim to offer a broader and more inclusive portrait of Italian design excellence—a tool for knowledge and vision.”
Dynamic styling meets sculptural soles: Felipe Fiallo redefines movement with his 3D-printed sneakers, fusing Italian innovation, function, and fashion-forward energy. Courtesy of FIALLO
Inside ADI Design Index 2025: How Fiallo’s Sneakers Are Redefining Italian Innovation
It’s remarkable how design can surprise you. You walk into a museum expecting chairs, lamps, maybe a few prototypes of things that never made it to production, but instead, there they are: sneakers. Not just any sneakers, though. FIALLO’s Kira 3D looks less like footwear and more like an idea that has taken physical form—a glimpse of what Italian design and 3D-printing innovation might look like when technology and craftsmanship truly converge.
For those who closely follow design, ADI (Associazione per il Disegno Industriale) is more than just a label; it’s the institution that has shaped Italy’s design identity since 1954. Each year, the ADI Design Index highlights the most visionary projects, which later go on to compete for the Compasso d’Oro, the world’s oldest design award. Kira 3D is now part of this prestigious selection, representing the pinnacle of Italian footwear innovation. It will be on display in Milan until October 30, before moving to Agrigento—Italy’s Capital of Culture 2025—and, if luck permits, it may compete for a Compasso d’Oro next year.
From Istituto Marangoni Graduate to Global Footwear Innovator: Fiallo’s Rapid Rise
Felipe Fiallo’s trajectory has the pace of someone who doesn’t wait for opportunities to come to them. Born in Ecuador and based in Italy, he studied at Istituto Marangoni in Florence, where he completed a Master’s in Luxury Accessories Design & Management in 2019. Just a year later, he founded his brand, and recognition began to come his way.
He received the ITS Awards 2020 (supported by Fondazione Ferragamo) and showcased his work at MICAM in both 2022 and 2023; he collaborated with notable names like Stella McCartney and even earned a place in the Museum at FIT’s permanent collection in New York. The British Fashion Council spotted him early, as did the CNMI (Italian Fashion Chamber) and Pitti Immagine Uomo. Now, nearly six years in, Felipe Fiallo is already being mentioned alongside the institutions that define Italian luxury footwear design.
Felipe Fiallo’s 3D-printed sneakers combine futuristic design with genderless styling, merging luxury aesthetics with performance-driven comfort for the next generation of sustainable footwear. Courtesy of FIALLO
Felipe Fiallo: The Designer Redefining Sustainable and Eco-Friendly Sneakers
For emerging designer Felipe Fiallo, sustainability isn’t an aesthetic—it’s both a mission and an ongoing experiment to push boundaries even further. He’s not just using recycled materials to tick a box; he’s testing the limits of what is possible.
Fiallo cultivates mushroom mycelium to create leather-like materials, develops self-decomposing shoes that vanish after a year (called Food for Fish), and grows crystals directly on sneakers through chemical reactions that almost sound poetic. With eleven registered designs and a patent, it’s clear that for him, innovation starts where biology meets 3D-printed technology.
Award-Winning Designs: How the Industry Took Notice of This Emerging Designer
Recognition followed naturally. In 2021, Vogue Italia named Felipe Fiallo’s “We Go Far” collection among the best sustainable sneakers. Two years later, he was a finalist at the Latin American Fashion Summit in Miami and represented Europe at Delhi Fashion Week.
His creations have been worn by celebrities like J Balvin and Paris Hilton, while key figures in the industry, like Sara Sozzani Maino, closely follow his work. Fiallo has participated in numerous industry fairs, experimented in the metaverse with Karl Lagerfeld on Decentraland, and continues to navigate effortlessly between the physical and digital realms, consistently staying ahead in Italian 3D footwear innovation.
In motion and in contrast: FIALLO’s Kira 3D sneakers explore duality through monochrome design, engineered sustainability, and bold Italian craftsmanship. Courtesy of FIALLO
Kira 3D Decoded: When Italian Craft Meets Next-Generation Technology
Kira 3D is more than just a sneaker; it introduces a new language for Italian footwear—one that seamlessly blends industrial design, sustainability, and artisanal precision.
Each pair comes with an NFC digital passport powered by Certilogo, ensuring complete transparency and traceability for every component—proof that “Made in Italy” can still have tangible and significant meaning.
Built on five proprietary technologies, FIALLO’s Kira 3D features a five-layer 3D super-cushion sole engineered to protect the knees and spine, while a dynamic 3.5 cm heel enhances posture and supports natural movement. The upper, made from 3D-knitted jacquard using recycled Italian yarns, wraps around the foot like a second skin.
“Being part of the ADI Design Index 2025 is not just a recognition; it is a statement,” Fiallo says. “At FIALLO, we believe that the shoe of the future is created where industrial design meets comfort, style, and sustainability.”
The Future of Italian Sneakers: Sustainable Design Meets Innovation
This might be what sets Felipe Fiallo apart. In a landscape saturated with discussions about innovation, he’s one of the few who actually delivers. His process is slow, deliberate, rooted in Tuscan craftsmanship, while also influenced by digital precision. His sneakers aren’t designed to fill shelves; they are crafted to spark conversations. FIALLO’s Kira 3D exemplifies what happens when technology stops being cold and becomes human again. And if, just six years after graduating, your work is displayed alongside icons of Italian design history, you are not just walking the path of design; you’re reshaping it.
Lucrezia Spina
Editor