As manufacturing has become globally fragmented, so too has the work of design. Complex supply chains conceal sources of creativity and innovation, posing new challenges for researching design history. There is little understanding of how the globalisation of manufacturing in the late 20th and early 21st centuries has affected design practice or how design authorship might be identified in mass-produced objects. This case study follows a pair of steel-toed boots named Vanessa from concept through design, development and production, moving from Canada to Italy, Mexico and beyond. It maps components, equipment and expertise, making it possible to trace sources and relationships of design. Analysis reveals how the boots reflect shifts in global trade and the concentration of knowledge and resources in new locations. It also shows how the globalisation of production has influenced the role of the product designer who acts as intermediary within transnational networks, combining pre-designed components and practices from around the world. The manufacturer, Mellow Walk, has experienced the transition from a regional manufacturing economy to one that is globally integrated. The company was founded in the 1990s when most Canadian footwear factories had closed due to global competition. It is unique as the last fully integrated footwear factory in Ontario, meaning that management, design, production, sales and shipping happen under one roof. Mellow Walk nevertheless depends on international suppliers and in this sense, represents many other footwear brands around the world.