MASTER SOLE DESIGN IN AS LITTLE AS 8 WEEKS!

Learn How to Create Authentic, Portfolio-Perfect Sole Designs That Are Guaranteed to Land You Dream Jobs and Dream Clients!

MASTER SOLE DESIGN IN AS LITTLE AS 8 WEEKS!

5.0 ★ 50+ satisfied students

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Learn how to design innovative, market-ready soles in just 8 weeks, so you can land your dream jobs and sign your dream clients.

5.0 ★ 50+ satisfied students

You're in the right place if:

image about soles, shoe soles, sole design

01 You're tired of only focusing on the upper and not being able to create authentic and functional soles that complete your vision.

03 You have a hard time turning your AI and 3D generations into a functional product because you lack the skills that are fundamental to achieving a high-quality sole.

02 You often find yourself struggling to choose the right materials for the different footwear categories, leading to elevated costs and a slow, inefficient design process.

You're in the right place if:

01 You're tired of only focusing on the upper and not being able to create authentic and functional soles that complete your vision.

02 You often find yourself struggling to choose the right materials for the different footwear categories, leading to elevated costs and a slow, inefficient design process.

03 You have a hard time turning your AI and 3D generations into a functional product because you lack the skills that are fundamental to achieving a high-quality sole.

You're in the right place if:

01 You're tired of only focusing on the upper and not being able to create authentic and functional soles that complete your vision.

02 You often find yourself struggling to choose the right materials for the different footwear categories, leading to elevated costs and a slow, inefficient design process.

03 You have a hard time turning your AI and 3D generations into a functional product because you lack the skills that are fundamental to achieving a high-quality sole.

If their designers trust us, you can too

A Sneak Peek at Our Student Testimonials:

"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. "

-Ibai Fletas 3D Designer @ Camper

"An incredibly detailed and technical course on sole design that dives deep into materials, biomechanics, and advanced manufacturing techniques. Perfect for experienced designers looking to master the complexities of sole design for funcitonality.

-Natalia Albariño Footwear Developer @ John Foos

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.

-João Ferraz Footwear and Sole Designer @ Forever Soles

A Sneak Peak At Our Student Testimonials:

"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."

-Ibai Fletas 3D Designer @ Camper

"As a passionate footwear designer, I had the opportunity to enter the world of sole design through this course taught by Defne. From the beginning, it was clear that this was not just any tutorial, but an elaborate journey into the heart of footwear manufacturing."

-Natalia Albariño Footwear Developer @ John Foos

-João Ferraz Footwear and Sole Designer @ Forever Soles

You're in the right place if:

01 You're tired of only focusing on the upper and not being able to create authentic and functional soles that complete your vision.

02 You often find yourself struggling to choose the right materials for the different footwear categories, leading to elevated costs and a slow, inefficient design process.

03 You have a hard time turning your AI and 3D generations into a functional product because you lack the skills that are fundamental to achieving a high-quality sole.

Sounds like you?

Worry not, we have the solution!

INTRODUCING:

THE ULTIMATE SOLE DESIGN MASTERCLASS

The world's first and only online course designed to take YOU from your first sole brief to your first prototype in as little as 8 weeks!

A Sneak Peek at Our Student Testimonials:

"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. "

-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. "

-Ibai Fletas 3D Designer @ Camper

-Natalia Albariño Footwear Developer @ John Foos

-João Ferraz Footwear and Sole Designer @ Forever Soles

With Experiences From:

Meet your instructor:

Defne Yalkut comes from a fashion design background and has entered the footwear world by being hired by VIBRAM, the world leader brand of outsoles where she worked as senior designer for 12 years. She designed soles for a vast number brands on outdoor like Merrell, Hi-Tec, Scarpa, as well as for fashion brands like Hugo Boss, Visvim, Paul Smith, Armani, Extralight and many others. Since 2017 she owns her own design studio based in Milan, Italy giving design services and consultancy on soles and footwear, mostly on performance and outdoor segments for different brands all over the world. She constantly seeks growth and her passion for design is the heart of her profession. She has been teaching Sole Design since 2015 at Istituto Europeo del Design-Milan and Arsutoria.

"As a designer, I believe that every sole tells a story. Over the years, I’ve realized that designing soles is more than just crafting something functional—it’s about shaping confidence, identity, and personal expression. I’m passionate about helping others discover this same sense of purpose in their work. My goal is to guide them in bringing their vision to life, offering insights, techniques, very niche information and encouragement to let their creativity soar."

With Experiences From:

Top Features

You'll receive:

15+ hours of meticulously created video material

BONUS: 2 revised coursework assignments to decorate your portfolio and land jobs easier.

2 BONUS private revision sessions with Defne

Downloadable BONUS summary sheets giving you the ultimate industry cheat codes

Certificate upon completion, declaring you as a professional Sole Designer.

Lifetime access to our Discord community, network with experienced industry experts

Access to our exclusive bi-weekly group calls, network and have your questions answered by experts

Course Contents:

You'll learn all the technical aspects of sole design, everything you need to successfully navigate from your first brief, all the way to your first prototype.

Chapter 1

Professional Sole Design: The Basics

Dive into the foundations of sole design, exploring the history, types, and materials of soles. Learn about various molding techniques, setting a solid base for your design journey.

sole design masterclass course contents, masterclass chapters

Chapter 2

The Entire Process: Explained

Learn about essential techniques such as sketching, rendering, and preparing technical packs. You'll learn about mock-up creation, texturing, and performance mapping, equipping you with the skills needed to bring your creative visions to life.

Chapter 3

Sports Performance Rules

This is the the "GEM" of this course! Learn about the biomechanics of soles, and the specific design rules for various sport activities. This chapter focuses on designing soles that enhance performance across various sports and environments, from tennis all the way to winter sports!

Chapter 4

Design Class: Trekking

Watch me design an entire trekking sole from scratch! We will learn how to set layouts, sketch profiles, and refine designs for optimal performance on challenging terrains. My previous students loved these design chapters! Check out their reviews below!

BONUS Chapters

These BONUS chapters will teach you how to create a wide range of soles beyond your first prototype. These chapters cover sneaker soles as well as fashion soles, helping you expand your skills and potentially add new design services!

Chapter 5

Urban Sneakers

This chapter covers major innovations in sole design, including the influence of retro sneakers, the use of volume and layering for depth, and techniques like spraying and painting for custom finishes. It highlights the application of TPU film for durability, digital printing for intricate designs, and tools like the hot knife and digital design applications to shape soles with precision and creativity.

Chapter 6

Design Class: Sneakers

And we have another design chapter, where I design a sneaker from scratch. It begins with setting the layout and sketching the sole profile, followed by setting and defining the bottom design for functionality. Next, we move into retouching the particulars to refine the details before the finalization of the design. Lastly, a light rendering with markers brings the concept to life with a professional finish.

image of high heels with different heel hight

Chapter 7

Fashion Soles

This chapter covers a range of fashion sole types, starting with dress soles and moccasin soles for formal styles, then moving to wedges and heels for added height and elegance. We also explore how to create high fashion branded soles for luxury footwear, sandal soles for casual designs, and techniques for sheet and surface design to create unique patterns and textures, to really help you be authentic in your designs,.

sustainability in sole design, sole design masterclass, footwear design

Chapter 8

Sustainable Sole Design

This section focuses on sustainability in sole design, exploring bio-based and natural sole materials alongside recycled materials for eco-friendly options. We explore mono-material soles and uppers for easier recycling, and methods to repair, upcycle, and recreate footwear. The chapter also covers no-glue upper and sole integration and essential design principles of sustainable soles for reducing environmental impact.

Check Out Our Early-Bird Offer:

SOON: €1480

NOW JUST 1080€

Reach out to support@soledesignacademy.com if you prefer to pay in instalments.

1 year full access, watch with your own pace.

15+ hours of expert-level video material.

4 main chapters covering everything you need to take your first sole project from brief to prototype.

4 chapters covering everything you need to carry out you first sole project

4 BONUS chapters to expand your creative horizons beyond the technicalities.

4 BONUS chapters to expand your creative horizons

2 coursework assignments to improve your portfolio and land jobs easier.

Ask your questions during your 2 private revision sessions and make the most out of the Masterclass.

Upon completion, you'll get a certificate declaring you as a Professional Sole Designer.

BONUS downloadable PDFs to always have the biggest cheat codes at hand.

Access to our private Discord channels and calls and have your technical questions answered LIVE by Defne and other industry insiders.

Access to our private Discord channels and calls and have your technical questions answered LIVE by Defne.

I Want to Start Learning

Here's what our students are saying:

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

Fatma Zehra Ermez

Industrial Designer @ YDS

"As someone from within the industry, I believe that the sole design course is very professional and detailed. Even if one is involved in production, acquiring this know-how will take a lot of time. Therefore, 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.

I would like to thank everyone who contributed to making such a course accessible to users."

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."

"I had the pleasure of taking Defne’s Professional Sole Design Masterclass. Her

any questions I had. I highly recommend taking her courses."

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."

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.

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."

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."

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."

"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.

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."

I Want to Start Learning

Course Contents

01 Professional Sole Design:

01 Professional Sole Design

Introduction