These vibrant vases are made from discarded flip flops

Social media can lead you down a rabbit hole where you either stumble upon fascinating discoveries or learn a new dance move. In the case of art director and designer Serena Confalonieri, it led to creative inspiration. 'I came across the remarkable work of Ocean Sole, a nonprofit based in Kenya that creates animal sculptures from discarded flip-flops, on Instagram,' Confalonieri explains. 'During Covid, I bought a small giraffe from them, and I was struck by the material. It’s so unexpected, yet so beautiful.

Serena Confalonieri’ x Ocean Soles Jambo collection at Milan Design Week

Confalonieri’s distinctive style joyfully blends unexpected materials, textiles, decorative exaggerations, and geometric shapes. Inspired by Ocean Sole’s sustainable approach, she reached out to propose a collaboration. After sliding into their DMs three years ago, they started a long distance relationship, the result of which will feature as part of the Can You Imagine? exhibition curated by Federica Sala for Secondome. ‘I asked the designers to respond to this question and explore the role of creativity in the world we live in today.’ Sala explains. ‘ Jambo, which means hello in Swahili, is Serena’s collaboration with craftspeople that has a social and ecological impact. It demonstrates that creatives do make a difference – creating pieces that are crafted using something that exists.’

Efforts to clean local beaches and collect the flip-flops, which often wash up from the ocean, contributing to marine pollution, has a direct social impact, it leads to employment opportunities. Volunteers also play a crucial role in collecting the discarded footwear, actively participating in cleanup efforts. Once gathered, the flip-flops are thoroughly cleaned to remove any debris and dirt, ensuring they’re ready for the next stage of the process. Next, the flip-flops are sorted by colour and size, and then glued together in layers to form large blocks. These blocks are the base for the sculptures.

‘When I first started working with Ocean Sole I was designing with a material I’d never used before. Although this challenge was refreshing they created three prototype vases to test if this concept could work,’ Calfonieri explains. Her designs have been brought to life by skilled artisans who carve and shape the blocks using knives and other tools. After carefully chipping away excess material, the artisans reveal vibrant, colorful figures created from the flip-flops’ original hues. ‘Each piece is unique because you and you can’t guarantee the colours that you’ll end up with.’

In Kenya the process not only recycles waste material, but also raises awareness about ocean pollution. ‘I really enjoyed this collaboration because I think it’s one of the most sustainable things that we can do right now.’ Jambo is a bold example that social media isn’t all bad and long distance relationships can work.

Jambo
Can You Imagine?, Rossana Orlandi, Via Bandello, 14