Beyond the Screen: Shuffle Exhibition

Shuffle has just launched. As part of the campaign, we set up a three-day exhibition in Jakarta to introduce the customization service to the general public. Taking place at Kala di Kalijaga, the exhibition showcased eight sandals ‘shuffled’ by illustrious creatives from different fields—among the names are Hadi Ismanto of Manual Jakarta, Thinking*Room’s Eric Widjaja, and motion graphics artist Isha Hening. The exhibition also includes an intimate workshop on sandal-crafting, where participants learned to make their own Shuffle with the guidance of Dash A Lab—our R&D team. Here’s a recap of the event.

Friday, July 15 – First Day 

The rain had been pouring down on the city all day, and it only turned into a drizzle when the event was about to start. One by one, people began to show up. When a considerable flock had gathered, creative director Tomy Herseta stepped up to open the exhibition. “It’s our most complex project so far,” he remarked, “We’re not launching a product this time, but a feature. Behind its simple facade was a meticulous process that called for the integration of different divisions within the company—it needed tremendous effort from every single team.” When the speech ended, the ceiling-to-floor pivot door was pushed open, allowing the gathered mass to enter the space. 

Eight sandals made by Shuffle collaborators were on display. They reflected a wide range of tastes, from Kelly Vallerie’s elegantly muted Shuffle to Ariel William Orah’s psychedelic pair. 

The somber mood of the day was lifted as people mingled around—the space made alive with chatter and laughter. Adding to the lively atmosphere was Baldi Calvianca’s masterful mix of acid house tracks, filling in the air with a lovely ambience. 

New visitors kept coming, and while some headed directly to the sandals, some opened their phones to play with postcards given at the entrance. They featured a vibrant AR effect made by our creative team. 

The night went swimmingly, and people lingered around the venue even after closing time to talk with friends and acquaintances. “This is our first exhibition after the pandemic started, and witnessing an overflowing appreciation for Shuffle made me realize that the team’s hard work paid off. That makes me happy,” co-founder Fahmi Faisal later added. 

Saturday, July 16 – Second Day

It’s the second day. The venue was open to the public from noon, but the real highlight of the day started mid-afternoon. It was time for the hands-on Shuffle workshop. The workshop’s participants were people selected from a pool of Shuffle submissions, along with some media partners. When it was time to start, our creative director gave a little tour guide to introduce the collaborators. “We didn’t choose our collaborators based on the number of followers they have on social media, but rather what they do and the spirit they bring to their work,” said Tomy. 

The participants were then guided to the big table at the back of the room, where the workshop would take place. All the materials were already laid down on the table, and when everybody had found their seat, the workshop started. Guided by Dash A Lab, the participants were introduced to the world of R&D and learned to mark and cut patterns to create sandal parts and assemble them. On the crafty aspect of the workshop, one participant jokingly commented that this is “a test to see who actually passed kindergarten without cheating.”

After everyone finished their prototype, each presented their Shuffle and the inspiration behind it. When it was time to part, a pair of Swift socks was given as a little gift—something to take home while our team turned the prototype into actual sandals.

“I hope that through this workshop, people would understand that R&D is not as simple as copying a finished product. There’s a lot of thinking and communication involved, and a huge investment of time and money. It’s pretty complex.” said the head of R&D Irvando Dityawan. 

Sunday, July 17 – Third Day

It was the last day, but the excitement wasn’t over yet. A number of guests and curious passersby came to look around the venue, admiring Shuffle made by Argi Tendo, Etza Meisyara, Natasha Tontey, and the rest of our collaborators. Here are a few photos from the last day of the exhibition.

That was a recap of the exhibition. Huge thanks to our collaborators, everyone who came to visit, and everyone else who made it happen. We hope to see you at the next one!