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Exoskeleton 3D-printed shoes look alien, awesome

Alien life forms and skeletal details emerge from an eccentric collection of 3D-printed shoes.

Amanda Kooser
Freelance writer Amanda C. Kooser covers gadgets and tech news with a twist for CNET. When not wallowing in weird gear and iPad apps for cats, she can be found tinkering with her 1956 DeSoto.
Amanda Kooser
Exoskeleton 3D-printed shoe
The Exoskeleton brings a new meaning to the term "ankle biter." Janina Alleyne

High heel shoes terrify me. The few times I've worn them, I've either tipped over or broken the heels. U.K. fashion footwear designer Janina Alleyne has crafted some high heels that will haunt my nightmares for years to come...and I like it.

Scorpion 3D-printed shoes
Meet the Reptile. (Click to enlarge.) Janina Alleyne

Alleyne designed a set of three very unusual shoes and had them printed by 3D modeler Inner Leaf.

The first shoe, called the Exoskeleton, looks like what would happen if H.R. Giger designed shoes. It features alien flowing lines, a spiky top, and a row of small and sinister teeth at the toes. This takes the concept of spike high heels very literally. Imagine balancing on that delicate point. Even Tina Turner would find it challenging.

The Exoskeleton was printed in two pieces that were joined together. The collection is rounded out with a strappy number called the Reptile and a precarious-looking strap and alien hybrid called the Scorpion.

Alleyne's otherworldly shoes designs push the envelope for both fashion and 3D printing. These would be the perfect footwear for a jaunt down the red carpet should Ridley Scott get around to making a "Prometheus" sequel.

3D-printed shoe
These Scorpion shoes weren't really made for walking. Janina Alleyne