Crafted for Comfort, Designed to Dazzle: A Conversation with 4CCCCEES Founder Sangmin Park
- Adar
- 13 hours ago
- 6 min read
She arrived in New York on a Wednesday and was back in Seoul by Friday. Somewhere in the blur of those 48 hours—between receiving the award at the 29th Annual FGI Rising Star Awards Ceremony in the Accessories category and heading to Nordstrom for a major retail launch—I met Sangmin Park.
Confidence, Comfort, Curiosity, and Contemporary
Tucked between award speeches and department store meetings, our conversation was disarmingly calm. Park, the founder and designer behind the footwear brand 4CCCCEES (pronounced “Four Cs”), spoke not with hurried excitement but with the precision and introspection of someone who has meticulously considered every detail. That duality—energy paired with control, statement design grounded in function—defined not only her demeanor but also the philosophy behind her brand.
With a master’s degree from The Royal College of Art in London and prior stints designing for Alexander McQueen and serving as creative director at United Nude, Park brings a wealth of experience to her own label, which she launched in 2019. The name 4CCCCEES is more than a moniker—it’s a mission: Confidence, Comfort, Curiosity, and Contemporary. These pillars guide not only the aesthetic of the shoes, but also their engineering, intent, and soul.
Our off-the-cuff chat ended up hinting at deep design principles, poetic inspirations, and technical mastery—so we followed up with Sangmin to expand those ideas into the Q&A below.
Inside the 4CCCCEES: A Q&A with Sangmin Park
Adar/LO’AMMI: Nature often plays a role in design, but your reference to the dandelion was especially poetic. Can you elaborate on how this motif has influenced your design philosophy and material choices at 4CCCCEES?
Sangmin Park: Nature frequently inspires my design because it moves, grows, and ages—characteristics that closely mirror how shoes are worn: constantly compressed, bent, and worn down. These traits also align with my design philosophy, which is to create products that are used often and last a long time.
"When striving for lightness, I push toward the extreme—like the weightlessness of a dandelion floating on the wind." —Sangmin Park
Top: Plita Cillo, Mellow Laze, by 4CCCCEES.
Bottom: Sanho, Sanho Tiba Black, by 4CCCCEES.
L’A: Many of your shoes are shockingly lightweight and incredibly soft to the touch, yet maintain structure. How do you approach the balance between softness, support, and sustainability in your design process?
SP: This is a question I ask myself every season: How can I make a product that's lighter, softer, and still structurally sound? Every new design begins with the search for a fresh idea. I work with a small but passionate development team, and the fitting stage is one of the most critical parts of our process.
We’re always working toward the ideal balance between softness and durability—two opposing qualities. We also maintain strong relationships with our material partners, and I often find inspiration during our meetings. Those collaborations are essential to innovation in both performance and sustainability.
L’A: 4CCCCEES footwear is clearly designed for both aesthetic impact and real-life wear. What does ‘functionality’ mean to you as a designer, and how do you weave that into silhouettes that are also fashion-forward?
SP: To me, functionality is the most fundamental reason a product exists. And in that sense, appearance—or fashion—is one of its functions. These two elements must exist in harmony.
"If a design sacrifices comfort just to achieve a certain look, then the product loses its purpose." —Sangmin Park
Left to Right: Mellow Viva Beige, Plia Puffy Brown, Jabara Amor Foam, by 4CCCCEES.
L’A: You mentioned that traditional luxury footwear often sacrifices comfort. How do you challenge that standard through both your design and material innovation?
SP: Each brand has its own values, and for some, comfort may not be the priority. But I tend to be quite greedy—I don’t want to compromise on any key element. From the very beginning of the design process, I aim for both comfort and visual impact to coexist. That’s why I rarely rely on traditional methods or ready-made components. Instead, I shape and carve models by hand, test them myself, and work closely with artisans to challenge existing standards. It’s a demanding process—riskier and more time-consuming—but also deeply rewarding and fun.
Left: Mirror Senary White; Right: Osha Medusa Hi Black, by 4CCCCEES.
L’A: You’ve spoken about resisting the urge to over-commercialize, instead focusing on the wearer’s experience. How has your time at Alexander McQueen and United Nude shaped this mindset?
SP: My previous experience didn’t make me resent commercialization—it taught me something far more valuable: a deep obsession with detail and the courage to break away from conventional design and manufacturing boundaries.
"When a product truly satisfies, there’s less desire to replace it." —Sangmin Park
Ray Reta, by 4CCCCEES.
That said, over-commercialization is something we all witness in the current fashion landscape. We know it needs to change, but finding a clear solution in today’s complex consumer environment isn’t easy. As both a designer and a producer, it might sound ironic to advocate for less consumption, but I care deeply about the emotional bond between product and user.
L’A: Some of your designs feature exaggerated or eccentric elements—platforms, oversized buckles, sculptural heels. What role does experimentation play in your creative process?
SP: For me, it’s important that each product has a distinctive personality. A unique design tends to leave a stronger impression, which can extend the product’s life cycle—people rarely discard what they love. Playful or unexpected elements help free a design from the constraints of trend cycles.
"Unfamiliar silhouettes and whimsical details are my way of embedding individuality into each piece." —Sangmin Park
Kapok Pado Cloud, by by 4CCCCEES.
L’A: I loved hearing you reference inspiration sources as diverse as origami, tree bark, and even pastries! Can you walk us through your creative journey from initial concept to finished product? How much of your work is personal, and how much is crafted with the general public in mind?
SP: Everything I see and experience can become a source of inspiration. My concepts often start from a functional keyword—like “folding” or “lightness”—and from there, I explore all the possibilities tied to that quality. It could come from the folds of an insect’s skin, a cactus spine, a sculpture, or even a rusty hinge on discarded furniture.
Top: Plia Fero Camel, Kapok Candy Cream, by 4CCCCEES.
Bottom: Crunch Anana Coffee, Tura Ballet Burgundy, by 4CCCCEES.
When I feel that tingle of excitement, I quickly begin refining the idea by hand. Some of what I create doesn’t make it through—it may not look the way I imagined it, or it may not be feasible to produce. Occasionally, I find a few models worth developing further. From there, we meet with the development team to refine the design and address practical concerns—material limitations, injection mold thickness, production times, leather processing… and of course, countless fitting, fitting, fitting!
As for your second question, it’s not an easy one. Every design reflects my personal taste entirely. If I’m not convinced of it myself, it never sees the light of day. That said, I’m also part of the larger public. In today’s global world, I don’t think we can easily define what the “general public” wants.
Walking the Line Between Art and Utility
4CCCCEES isn’t just a brand you wear—it’s one you experience. Slip into a pair and you’ll notice the difference immediately: the lightness, the give, the way your foot feels held without being confined. There’s a quiet cleverness at work, where sculptural shapes don’t sacrifice comfort and style isn’t achieved at the expense of practicality. These are shoes that invite movement and spark curiosity—designed not just to be seen, but to be lived in.
It's like stepping into a curated candy shop—each pair its own delightful surprise. From sandals with inflated, cloud-like bands to slip-ons that merge loafer elegance with sneaker agility, the lineup offers something for every taste. There’s a quiet confidence in the eccentricity—never loud, but always self-assured. Some designs come off as chiseled and architectural, others soft-spoken, but all carry the four guiding C’s at their core: Confidence in silhouette, Comfort in step, Curiosity in concept, and a Contemporary pulse that makes them feel right for now, and next. The diversity in form doesn’t scatter the collections—it syncs it, like a gallery of wearable experiments where no idea is too playful to be profound.
In an industry often chasing novelty for its own sake, Sangmin Park’s work slows things down just enough to remind us why we wear what we wear. Her designs don’t scream—they stay. Not because they blend in, but because they endure. Whether it’s the confident stride they empower or the comfort that keeps them in rotation, 4CCCCEES offers something fashion rarely does: a future you can feel in every step.
Discover more from 4CCCCEES at their official website, follow along on Instagram, or shop the collections now at Nordstrom.