Hi everyone! I’m new to shoe design and want to learn about the software that designers actually rely on.
I’ve heard that many professionals work with tools like Romans CAD and Shoemaster. When I tested these programs, the user experience seemed quite dated and not very intuitive. I’m wondering if this is a common complaint.
I’d love to get your input on these questions:
- Which programs do you rely on for shoe design work? (This could include sketching apps, 3D tools, pattern creation, etc.)
- What bugs you most about your current software? (Maybe the interface, cost, or learning difficulty?)
- What made you pick your current toolset? (Client demands, company standard, or specific features?)
- What’s the one feature you wish existed? (Better prototyping? Easier 2D to 3D workflow? Modern interface?)
I’m not developing anything right now, just really interested in understanding the current landscape and pain points. Would appreciate any insights you can share!
Cheers!
been using shoemaster for like 3 years now and yeah the interface is pretty clunky but once u get used to it its solid for pattern work. tried switching to modo for 3d modeling but the learning curve killed me lol. biggest pain point is definitly the file export issues between programs - always something gets messed up
honestly curious about this too! are you looking at footwear specifically or branching into other areas? i’ve been eyeing some newer cloud-based options but wondering if they actually handle complex sole geometries well. what kind of shoes are you hoping to design - more athletic/performance stuff or fashion-forward pieces?
After working in footwear development for several years, I settled on a combination of Rhino 3D with Grasshopper for conceptual work and KeyShot for rendering. The transition happened mainly because clients started demanding more photorealistic presentations early in the development process. Rhino handles complex curved surfaces much better than traditional CAD systems, which is crucial when working with anatomical foot forms and ergonomic considerations. The main frustration remains the disconnect between creative 3D modeling and technical pattern generation - there’s always manual translation required when moving to production specs. Most factories still expect traditional 2D patterns, so regardless of how sophisticated your 3D model is, someone needs to flatten and grade everything manually. The cost factor is also significant since you essentially need multiple specialized tools rather than one comprehensive solution.