Hello readers! Welcome back to my blog posts! This week is going to be a longer read, but hopefully fun, exciting, and informative, so sit back, relax, and enjoy! Recently I have been inspired to write about the history of fashion brands and what influence these brands and their products have had on the fashion industry, and essentially the world. I was inspired to write about this large topic because of a class I am actually taking at Ball State. This class is called “History of Costume.” Essentially, we are learning about the origins of our clothing and accessories as far back as clothing history has been recorded. Because we are at the mid-way point in the semester, we haven’t gotten to very many clothing or accessory items that we would deem as “fashionable” today. I also have noticed that we haven’t discussed many different types of shoes from ancient decades. This lack of shoes in ancient history is largely due to climate and technological issues. But, because of this class and the topics, or lack thereof so far, I have been thinking about what types, designers, and brands of shoes I would like to study and learn more about.
So, with that being said, today I wanted to discuss iconic shoes, shoe brands, and shoe designers from the recent fashion industry, how and why they became famous, and what influence they have had on the rest of the fashion industry and the world. I am excited for this post because it gives me the opportunity to research more on the history of shoes and their designers in the fashion industry, as well as how these famous shoes have created trends and styles that we still see today. I want to look at shoes from different decades and areas of the world so that I find more representation of styles, fashions, and trends throughout time and locations. I also think it would be fun to look at how iconic shoe styles have originated from online medias, movies, and other events.
How about we start talking about some fun shoes then!
When I think of iconic shoes from recent decades, the first shoes that come to my mind are Converse All Stars. These shoes, created around 1917, were originally developed to be worn only on the basketball court. Apparently, the story goes that one day in 1922, Indiana basketball player Charles “Chuck” Taylor walked into a Converse shoe store and asked the company to create a more comfortable basketball shoe with more support and flexibility for the player. This prompted the brand to add Taylor’s signature to the ankle decal on the shoe, which is still used in their designs up until this day. This also gives Converse the honor of being the first celebrity-endorsed athletic shoe, which to me is really interesting to think about today, considering all of the collaborations we see every day in athletic shoes and fashion shoe brands in general with celebrities. Because of Taylor’s influence in basketball and marketing, Converse All Stars became very popular, retaining about 70 percent of the basketball shoe market by 1960. The brand has had some decline in sales over the years. In the 1970s, the lost popularity due to basketball players being interested in, and wearing, other basketball branded shoes. The brand also filed for bankruptcy a few times and was acquired by Nike in 2003. But still, the brand remains strong and their products are continually being worn today. What I enjoy most about this brand is the fact that throughout the around 100 years that their shoes have been manufactured, their designs have barely changed. Although these shoes can now be made in many colors, styles, and textures, it still has been the same silhouette we all know and love for decades. I think this is significant because it means that this shoe style was and is iconic in its design. A Converse’s main distinctions are its high or low top canvas designs, white rubber toe guard and soles, and blue and red trim (designed for the 1936 U.S. Olympic Team). They also always have their signature star logo, and if they are high-top, star patch with Taylor’s signature. I believe this simple but classic design is what makes Converse iconic. They have become a staple in the men’s and women’s fashion industry, because instead of just being a men’s basketball shoe, they have become a lifestyle brand for all.
The next shoe that I was excited to research were Keds. Similarly, to Converse, they were launched in 1916 as a canvas sneaker with comfort and simplicity on the forefront. These shoes differed though because they were solely (sorry for the pun) marketed to women. Keds were the first mass produced and marketed canvas shoe. The word sneakers originates from the creation of Keds shoes because of their rubber sole ‘sneaking around silently.’ Something else that I thought was interesting about this brand is that they released “Kedettes” a shoe for women in the 1930s, which was a high heel marketed as to having the same comfort as a sneaker. As the brand continued to produce more styles and ideas that would slightly change the reason or design behind the shoes, Keds became more popular and the brand became more influential. I think the most influential aspect to this brand is that they are putting their consumer first. They desire to put women first, in hopes that they will empower these women to be who they want to be and go where they want to go. These women’s sneakers have been fashionable for many decades, with many influential women promoting the brand, such as Marilyn Monroe, Audrey Hepburn, Jackie Kennedy, and Taylor Swift, who has been the brand’s ambassador. There have been many instances where Keds were used or referenced in pop culture, such as when they were worn by Frances Houseman in Dirty Dancing, or Kelly Kapowski in Saved by the Bell. My favorite reference is from the hit TV show The Office, when Pam Beesly is awarded the “Whitest Sneakers Award,” all thanks to her Keds.
Speaking of Audrey Hepburn, who was and is a major fashion icon, and who also inspired the increased wear of many types of shoes, such as sneakers and menswear-inspired shoes because of their comfort, she inspired women to wear one particular shoe type more than the others mentioned; the ballet slipper. The ballet slipper, or ballet flat, has become one of women’s shoe staples due to her influence and the shoes’ dainty silhouettes and comfort. Today, ballet flats are worn in many ways, but they are most typically worn in place of heels. There are so many adaptations to the classic style of ballet flats, which allows any woman to find a pair that they feel is their sole-mate. I think that the reason this type of shoe has kept its rankings in the fashion industry is because of this adaptability. Most brands have found a way to make these simple and classic shoes their own, and even designers who mainly create heels have produced ballet flats for a different target market that they want to cater to. I am not so sure that these ballet flats would be so iconic and prevalent today if style icons like Audrey Hepburn, Jackie Kennedy, and Princess Diana did not wear them to prove that heels are not the only shoes that can convey beauty, sophistication, and professional.
The next shoes that I think have dramatically influenced the fashion industry are Christian Louboutin red soled heels. Although Christian Louboutin produces many types of designs and pieces, including men’s shoes, makeup, and perfumes, his women’s red soled heels have become the signature look for his brand. This iconic shoe wasn’t the first of Louboutin’s creations. He did not design the red soled shoe until 1993. “My sketches were not reproduced exactly as I had designed them and I couldn’t figure out why. The two dimensional sketch was so powerful on paper, but when turning then into three dimensional objects, it was somehow lacking energy. Frustrated after having tried different things to liven up the design, I spontaneously grabbed my assistant’s red nail polish and painted the sole. I instantly knew that this would be a success!” https://artflyer.net/christian-louboutin-exclusive-interview-factory-nerviano-italy/ I think it is significant that immediately after creating this red soled shoe, he knew they would be a success. I wonder if he had any idea how influential and powerful (for the fashion industry and women alike) these shoes would be. I think a reason why these shoes have taken the fashion industry by storm and remained as one of the top heel styles to be worn, is because the convey a message of power, wealth, fashion influence, and status. “Just as Louis XIV had declared the red heel an exclusive privilege of the members of the court, Christian determined the red sole would be the new status symbol of our age.” https://artflyer.net/christian-louboutin-exclusive-interview-factory-nerviano-italy/ These shoes are artistic, classic, and so well-known that they instantly come to mind when you think of iconic shoes.
Another shoe and brand that I was interested in learning more about were UGGs. What I find interesting about all of these shoes is that even by saying the brand name, a specific image of what the shoe looks like pops up in my mind. With UGGs, that is their iconic tan, fur lined boot. Interestingly, Brian Smith, the creator of the Ugg boot, first took them to Southern California to be sold on the beaches. When I think of these boots, I do not think of the beach, or even California for that matter, but apparently they were a success in this warmer climate. These sheepskin boots because popular in surf shops and made their way to big and small cities ski shops as well. By the 1990’s these boots were beginning to be noticed by celebrities and the fashion industry alike. Funny enough, the world really began to take notice of these boots when Oprah declared she loved them in her featuring of Oprah’s Favorite Things in 2000. From then on, these boots took the fashion industry by storm, (or should I say snowstorm?). These boots created an entirely new section of fashion: luxury loungewear. Before long, the brand branched out to sandals, sneakers, and slippers for a wider target market who enjoyed the original boot’s comfort and wear but translated those characteristics over to a more active shoe style for this market. I particularly like this brand origin story because of its surprise elements. I had no idea that the brand was created in 70s, nor did I think they were first sold on the beaches of Southern California. I think these elements to this story make this brand’s reach and influence even more inspiring. Although, in recent years this brand’s shoes have hit a low point in their trendiness, I do think that their popularity will increase once again. Right now the brand is working on continuing to showcase new designs, while maintaining the classic, iconic look we all know, as well as trying to bring their UGGs to high end fashion once again with a newly imagined luxurious feel. I am excited for them as a brand, and I am curious to see what they come up with.
I hope you have enjoyed reading my thoughts and research on this blog post for today! I know I had fun learning new, fun facts about fashion brands and specific shoe styles I have grown up loving. There is a possibility I will write about more iconic brands and shoes in the future because there are so many to choose from. I think it would be fun to dive even deeper into iconic media moments, events, and influential celebrities that have changed the shoe industry. Let me know of any types of shoes you think are iconic from the fashion industry and why! Thank you for reading!
Until next time,
Happy browsing!
Anna
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