PET LIGER on crafting wild and wonderful footwear for new digital dimensions

It's not hard to see why the internet's obsessed with PET LIGER. Founded by award-winning designer Constantinos Panayiotou, the digital-physical footwear brand first captured imaginations with its viral daily Heels Concept social series – a run of jaw-dropping 3D and digital designs in garish colors that hooked shoe lovers worldwide. Since then, PET LIGER has built a hyper-engaged community, collaborated with luxury brands like Gucci, sold out multiple times in the metaverse, and produced its first physical pair of heels with leading Italian artisans (also sold out, sorry.)

As we developed our SYKY Showroom concept – an immersive, curated showcase of today’s best digital-physical fashion designers on Apple Vision Pro – we knew PET LIGER had to be part of the debut. For the occasion, which marks the SYKY Collective alum's first foray into spatial computing, Panayiotou created Vertex Crystal, a pair of sculptural, molten metal heels, presented alongside digital fashion pieces from fellow SYKY Collective designers Jacqueline Assar and Taskin Goec. Like the brand's existing oeuvre, Vertex Crystal showcases Panayiotou's immaculate attention to detail and wild aesthetic, built on a signature mashup of art and culture references and brought to life with future-facing tech.

To celebrate the launch of the SYKY Showroom, we caught up with Panayiotou to talk about creating Vertex Crystal for Apple Vision Pro, his treasured community, and why you'll always find PET LIGER wherever the newest technology is.

We loved your daily Heels Concept series and it feels like everyone else on the internet did too. Where did that idea come from?

Constantinos Panayiotou: I've always shared my creations online, including music, photography, and 3D renders. When I started posting my shoe experiments, I received such a positive reaction. This encouraged me to refine the process and post a new design daily on Instagram, which challenged me to push the limits of what I can do with a specific shoe silhouette. I love a challenge!

How did you find inspiration to keep putting something new out every day and does that experience still inform your work?

Constantinos Panayiotou: I often let the creative process guide me; each day's design naturally led to the next. In some ways, it was like a visual journal, reflecting my feelings or experiences at that moment. The constant challenge to myself and the drive to create cool things have always been my main motivators.

The daily concept series has established the foundational DNA and design language that PET LIGER is now recognized for. It's also the reason we have such a dedicated global community.

How did you find the experience of launching PET LIGER and Vertex Cystal on Apple Vision Pro for the first time?

Constantinos Panayiotou: I've always loved new technologies, so working on this project was incredibly exciting. My usual workflow wasn't affected much; the main task was optimizing the 3D model for a smooth Apple Vision Pro experience. The Vertex Crystal design's molten metal elements are perfect for this kind of immersive experience. Visitors to the space can experience real-time reflections and the interplay of light on the shoe's silhouette. 

You recently printed your first pair of physical shoes. How did it feel to have one of your digital pieces in your hands for the first time? 

Constantinos Panayiotou: It's always a great feeling to physically hold one of your creations, although I do think experiencing something digitally can have a similar effect. I would love to see an in-game character wearing something from PET LIGER one day. 

Bringing a concept to life has given me a much deeper appreciation for the thought and detail that goes into the design and functionality of everyday objects. At PET LIGER, we've been fortunate to collaborate with top artisans and technicians on our CIRCLES and LOVE HEELS, gaining valuable insights into the process. It takes a team of talented individuals, patience, and determination to bring a design from concept to reality.

You’ve built a huge, engaged community around PET LIGER. Who are they?

Constantinos Panayiotou: We absolutely love our community. Without them, PET LIGER would not be on the path that we’re currently on. They're a worldwide community of fashion lovers, art lovers, performers, dancers, creatives, and forward thinkers. Most of the time, they simply want to be able to buy and wear our digital concepts IRL. 

I think the community appreciates our unique digital-first approach to design and the creative process. Some of our community members have been with us since the beginning and have witnessed PET LIGER's evolution. They understand our journey and where we're headed.

What does having that community support mean to you?

Constantinos Panayiotou: Community is everything to us. The support and love we receive daily mean the world and we have immense gratitude for our community. We try to thank those who have been there for us in meaningful and tangible ways whenever we can.

When you start from nothing and are a small team like us, it's the community that pulls you through and makes everything worthwhile. Inspiring and energizing others is a huge part of the PL ethos. We love our LIGERS! 

Were you surprised by the reaction to your work on Wilder World?

Constantinos Panayiotou: We absolutely love our Wilder World family. My work with them was a completely new experience; I had no idea what to expect. Both of the collections I designed for them sold out completely; they were a huge success and opened my eyes to the possibilities of the metaverse and NFTs. It's a truly ambitious project that continues to amaze me. The future of everything, not just fashion, is onchain, from physical to digital.

People can find PET LIGER through various digital mediums already. How does Apple Vision Pro offer a new way for fashion lovers to discover and engage with your work?

Constantinos Panayiotou: Apple Vision Pro provides a new dimension to our digital creations, from the basic ability to interact with our shoes through spatial computing to the potential to connect, update, duplicate, and expand on the designs. The possibilities are endless.

You seem super open to bringing PET LIGER into new digital spaces. Why is that? Wouldn’t it be easier to coast on familiar platforms?

Constantinos Panayiotou: A huge part of being an artist or designer is being curious, constantly exploring, and discovering new ways of seeing the world. With the advent of the AI age, we will see a huge acceleration in the human journey on all levels, and I think hyper-real experiences through mixed reality will be the norm.

Find out more about the SYKY Showroom on Apple Vision Pro and shop PET LIGER's Vertex Crystal here.