The Rapidprototypedshoe was the brainchild of Dutch shoe designer Marloes ten Bhömer and was produced using Objet's Connex multi-material 3D printing technology, which can combine flexible and rigid materials in a single prototype.

"Objet Connex printers make it possible to print an entire shoe – including a hard heel and a flexible upper in one build, which just isn't possible with other 3D printing technologies," said ten Bhömer.

"The shoe is printed as a single entity so the parts come off the printer already assembled, and you can still take the shoe apart later on. It is inspiring and opens up the possibility of interchangeable heels and creating customised designs.

"Also, the possibility of repairs allows for a more realistic product and changes the idea of rapid prototyping into rapid manufacturing."

The Rapidprototypedshoe took 22 hours to print and was built up in 16 micron layers using the rubber-like Objet TangoBlackPlus material and the rigid Objet VeroBlack material.

Although printed in one take, the shoe was designed and manufactured in a modular way so that it can be dismantled and reassembled for the purpose of replacing parts.

Gilad Gans, executive vice president of Objet added: "The highly detailed models produced by Objet provide the benefits of physically reviewing and testing designs that just can't be matched by 2D drawings.

"As an affordable alternative to factory-produced samples, the process encourages users to review more design alternatives, increasing the potential to produce a more creative or better designed concept."

The Power of Making is a free V&A and Crafts Council exhibition running from 6 September 2011 to 2 January 2012. For more information visit www.vam.ac.uk/powerofmaking.