Women’s Shoes in America: 1795 to 1930

Women’s Shoes in America: 1795 to 1930. by Nancy Rexford is a beautifully illustrated book (over 400 drawings) outlining the culture of womens’ shoe in the US. There are two sections to the book: Part 1 is a "A History of Women's Footwear in America", and discusses the history of the American shoe industry and surveys changing styles of shoes, boots, boudoir slippers, overshoes and sports shoes. It examines the relationship between women's footwear and women's roles in the context of 19th-century culture, as well as providing specific information about the evolving etiquette that governed women's choices in shoes. In Part 2, "Dating Women's Shoes, 1795-1930", there is a detailed reference for dating surviving shoes. This is a must for all collectors.

New book: 50 shoes that changed the world

The London Design Museum’s “Changed the World” series will have a new edition next month. “Fifty Shoes That Changed the World” lists the top 50 shoe designs that have made a substantial impact in the world of design today. From the 1863 Frye boot to Zaha Hadid’s 2008 Melissa shoe, each entry offers a short appraisal to explore what has made their iconic status and the designers that give them a special place in design history. Other shoes to receive the historical treatment include the Galosh, Platform Shoes, The Waffle Trainer and Crocs.

Platform Shoes: Shoe exhibition

“The Heights of Fashion: Platform Shoes Then and Now” is an exhibition which highlights examples of platform shoes, sandals and boots from the 1930s till present time. The exhibition is currently at the Mint Museum of Art in Charlotte, North Carolina. On view are high fashion platform shoes by couture designers like Vivienne Westwood, Jimmy Choo, Ruthie Davis and Roger Vivier, whose innovative designs incorporated modern engineering with vintage inspiration. Salvatore Ferragamo, who elevated the platform shoes from casual beachwear to high fashion in the 1930s was the first to introduce the wedge heel. Fetish platform shoes with thick soles and very high heels appeared as early as 1920s and continue to hold an important place in the fashion market. Also at the Mint Museum of Art is the “The Art of Affluence: Haute Couture and Luxury Fashions 1947 – 2007” an ode to classic designers such as Chanel, De la Renta, Dior, Givenchy, Saint Lauren and Valentino. The cherry on the cake is Elton John’s haute couture ensemble by Versace.

Brief outline of the history of designer sneakers

People in the 19th century loved trains and when a five working day week became norm, urban families clambered to visit the seaside particularly in the summertime. Working boots were discarded as day trippers wanted to shoes walk through the sand. Sand shoes were lightweight canvas topped rubber soled shoes and thanks to vulcanisation of rubber were cheap, flimsy and usually wore out after a day’s wear. To reinforce the shoe a thin, flat rubber band was wrapped around the shoe and because this looked like a plimsoll line, they were called plimsolls and usually painted white. The significance of the colour was form a distance they could resemble white croquet shoes (made from kangaroo skin) and worn by the well to do. White plimsolls became a fashion icon of the younger working class and promenaders keen to look their best wore them with flannels and a Madras jackets. The simple plimsoll evolved into many other forms including the tennis shoe where sole patterns were added to improve grip; and in the US the high top shoe was worn to protect the ankle in games like basketball and baseball. In the US at the turn oif the 20th century Converse introduced the high top Converse All Stars (or Chucks - named after Chuck Taylor a famous 30s basketball player). During the wars servicemen were issued with canvas topped rubbers for exercise and most took them home as souvenirs. Soon their older kids were wearing them to dance to quick tempo dance music of Swing and Jive. By the end of the thirties an Australian called Adrian Quist was a tennis champion and realized ground traction was the secret to better foot control on grass surfaces. Eventually he convinced the Dunlop Rubber Company to include tread patterns on their tennis shoes and Dunlop Volleys were born. Younger children wore gym shoes when the schools’ curriculum started to include compulsory physical exercise. The appeal of American sneakers was confirmed when James Dean and Elvis Presley were photographed wearing low cut canvas topped rubber soled shoes. Chucks and Keds became a byword for teenage rebellion.

Today the big footwear companies target inner city youth Afro-American, Hispanic and Asians demographics. Promotions rely heavily on “cultural influencers,” like bold colours and logos to appeal to cultural sensitivities in “ethnic pride.” Commodifying ethnicity is a deliberate marketing strategy to attract new and brand loyal consumers among inner city, low socio-economic groups. High priced designer trainers have obvious appeal to street gangs keep expressing their individualism and sartoria. US street gangs like LA Crips and Bloods wear specific designer trainers as part of their uniform. Preferred brands are those worn by popular hip hop gangsters and rap artists. Colours play an important role in gang clothing i.e. blue in Crips’ and red for Bloods. As a result many leading sport shoe companies deliberately court the patronage of popular rappers and some continue to make reference to gang behaviours in their lyrics or videos. Probably the most obvious and up front example is in Michael Jackson's Extended Music Video, “The way you make me feel “. The video starts with the Crip Walk and Michael Jackson is wearing a blue shirt. Some shoe companies have had to distance themselves from affinity with street culture by renaming some of their shoe lines such as adidas did with their 'Hemp" range, which was renamed “Gazelle natural, after public outrage. Also things like ‘stash pockets’ feature less in shoe design. Many high schools and universities have now banned footwear associated with gangs. Subsequent merging of music with fashion has seen leading sneaker companies working in close tandem with well-known graffiti, tattoo and sneaker artists to create an individual aesthetic which attract collectors. The popularity of Retro sneakers (reintroduction of older classic styles) is principally to allow the younger customers the opportunity to own a pair of originals. Another reason for the retro perspective is many of the companies are now reaching critical birthdays which give them ideal opportunity to niche market classics. Corporate take-overs have also seen a crop of retro styles make comebacks as new parent companies are keen to see new life breathed into old established names like Converse (1908) and Reebok. Up until quite recently being smart definitely did not mean being ostentatious but all that changed as more rap royalty become actively involved in shoe retail and design. Run–D.M.C arguably started the pimp shoe movement by immortalised their favourite runners in song “My adidas.” This started a landslide of interest with rappers designing their own footwear range. Hip hop impresario Jay-Z was the first rapper to receive a sneaker deal with a mainstream shoe company. He then went on to set up his own clothing and accessories line. Reggaetón, Daddy Yankee released his signature collection of athletic footwear DY and many others have followed.

The move from competition to freestyle skateboarding in the 90's meant boarder (now called slashers) were no longer restricted to skateboard parks. The popularity of thrashing brought a revolution in clothing which was heavily influenced by hardcore punk and hip hop. Skateboard shoes (decks) was another mutation of canvas topped trainers made by independent companies like Vans, Airwalk and Vision Street Wear. These sold in huge quantities and were bought by young people keen to avoid the shoes sold by sport shoe giants like Nike and adidas. Skateboard attire became a fashion counter culture more in tune with Grunge than Bling- bling.

Experts believe the drive for the sneaker phenomena relates to a mix of popular culture, nostalgia, technology and investment. In the past, high profile sports personalities were used by the major companies to endorse their products but due to recent falls from grace and spurious claims that sport shoes either prevent injuries or improve competitive times have caused the companies to rethink their strategy. Whilst the main bulk of sport shoes are sold for sport a significant market is directed at ath-leisure or fashionable trainers. The shelf life of a trendy trainer is short (3 months) and companies like Nike and adidas are forever introducing new lines. To add incentive companies offer "quick hit" shoes which is a clever marketing ploy and involves the sale of a small number of limited edition shoes as a special offer in selected outlets for a limited period of time only. With minimum advertising these events are hurriedly communicated through networks, websites and SMSs. Sneakerheads range from casual fans of sneaker fashion to those who buy and sell shoes like blue chip investments. The shoes can cost hundreds and even thousands of dollars depending on their cachet. Some wear them, and have multiple pairs (in case one gets scuffed); whereas others keep them in their boxes and store in a bank and or display them, unworn. Shoe collectors will often determine what will sell and companies are obliged to follow. There are many web sites (Nicekicks.com and Sneaker Freaker), magazines (Sole Collector), books, songs and even radio shows all dedicated to sneaker culture. The phenomena have caught the media’s attention and now there are several TV documentaries on the subject.

What lay behind Tamara Mellon's success?: New book

Lauren Goldstein Crowe and Sagra Maceira de Rosen have written a revealing unofficial biography on Tamara Mellon’s meteoric rise of rags to riches and background to her celebrity promotions in a new book called The Towering World of Jimmy Choo: A glamorous story of power, profits, and the pursuit of the perfect shoe (Barnes and Noble). Tamara Mellon founded the company Choo in 1996. Jimmy Choo had previously worked in obscurity as a cobbler in the East End of London. Mellon used her celebrity contacts selling Jimmy Choo creations for upward of $800 US per pair and soon established a luxury business with a turnover in the millions. Sadly the bubble burst and Mellon and Choo parted company as Mellon’s business and social life went into in turmoil. In 2007 she sold the Choo company for a reported £185m. This tell all book gives much of the detail.

The history of wooden shoes

Although light sandals carved from smooth wood were discovered in the tombs of ancient Egyptians it is generally thought it was the Greeks then that Etruscan that used pattens and clogs. Wooden shoes were exquisitely carved and worn high (platform style) to keep the feet dry. The wooden shoes were highly decorated and included inlaid mother of pearl and silver. Some had jingles others woven sheaths to cover the forefoot. Turkish clogs were held next to the foot with a toe grip, similar to sandals. Because of the unique sound of the wooden shoe on the tile the footwear were called kapkaps and became were associated particularly with the Eastern Mediterranean. The fashion was most often found in the coastal areas of Asia Minor, Syria, and Egypt, from the Nile to the Euphrates. The origins of kapkaps remains clouded but most likely these were associated with ceremonial dress before they became a general fashion. Overshoes made from wood (pattens) were also know in Roman Times and worn by people living in the Ardennes region (Belgium and Luxembourg and parts of France). In Roman Times the Ardenne was inhabited by the Gauls and the wooden overshoe became known as "galoche" which later evolved into galoshes. Wooden pattens were serviceable, hardwearing and provided protection from the wet ground. Romans wore wooden clogs in the hot baths and these were referred to as "Tyrrhenian sandals." Wooden shoes were also worn in other parts of the world such as in Japan where young girls went to the temple wearing wooden clogs or getas. These were platform wooden shoes often 3-4 inches from the ground and were worn with tabi, a special sock. The Geta were made from nezuko wood because it was waterproof, lightweight and hardwearing. Reference to clogs was common place in the songs, poems and novels of the Meiji period at the turn of this century. For centuries Samuari warriors wore geta and zori sandals.

A new blog entitled Wooden shoes traces the history of clogs through the centuries.

Tour the Bata Museum on your mobile phone

The Bata Shoe Museum has created an exciting and innovative audio tour. Visitors are led on a journey through some of the Museum’s most intriguing stories. Using their own mobile phones visitors can learn about the history of the Museum. The tour is brought to life with the help of leading interpretive audio tour specialist Tour-Mate Systems Canada. Visitors simply dial a number from their mobile phone and listen to information about the specified artifact or exhibit. Each tour stop ranges from one to two minutes. Visitors will also be able to share and comment on the various tour stops and their experience at the Museum by recording their thoughts via voicemail. The Museum’s unique collection houses over 12,500 artifacts and spans 4,500 years of history, from the earliest civilizations on earth to the catwalks of today’s leading designers.