Deformable lace guides for automated footwear platform

A footwear assembly comprising:

• a footwear upper including a toe box portion, a medial side, a lateral side, and a heel portion, the medial side and the lateral side each extending proximally from the toe box portion to the heel portion;
• a lace cable with a first end anchored along a distal outside portion of the medial side and a second end anchored along a distal outside portion of the lateral side;
• and
• a plurality of deformable lace guides distributed along the medial side and the lateral side, each deformable lace guide of the plurality of deformable lace guides including a straight tubular incoming extension to receive a length of lace cable and a straight tubular outgoing extension to expel the lace cable coupled to a tubular middle section that transitions between an first shape and a second shape, wherein each deformable lace guide forms the first shape in response to a first tension on the lace cable and the second shape in response to a second tension on the lace cable, and wherein each deformable lace guide contributes to the first tension in the first shape.