Ten shoes designed for a specific purpose that have become fashion icons

Many of the most iconic shoes in the history of footwear weren’t designed just for their beautiful look, but for being functional; for working, for the military, for being on a boat, for dancing or even for warming up the feet after surfing. Without even considering all the shoes that were designed for practicing specific sports, which then became fashion sneakers, as Converse’s Chuck Taylor All Stars (designed for playing basketball). Or the Adidas Stan Smith (born for playing tennis). Or the Vans Authentic (designed for skateboarding). So many; iconic. We decided to choose 10 of them

by Massimiliano Viti

Dr. Martens 1460

Between late 1959 and early 1960, the Griggs footwear factory in Wollaston, United Kingdom, acquired the license for a shoe featuring an air-cushioned sole developed by German physician Klaus Maertens, together with his friend Herbert Funk. After a few changes, on April 1st 1960 (hence the number 1960), this boot was launched on the market. Its name is adjusted into Dr. Martens, without the “e” of the original last name, in order to make it sound more English. Eight holes on each side for threading the laces, and cherry-red leather. This model rapidly becomes the favourite shoe of mailmen and construction workers. Then, a “must” for the skinheads and for a few movements of London’s counterculture, such as punk and ska. The interesting fact is that the same model is even worn by the Police, before becoming an actual global phenomenon.

Timberland 6-Inch Boot

In 1973, in the peaceful small city of Newmarket – New Hampshire – Sidney Swartz, son of the owner of Abington Shoe Company, designs and carries out the creation of a waterproof leather small boot, realized specifically for withstanding New England’s harsh, wet and snowy winters. It is essentially designed as a hard work footwear but, to the general public, it is pure madness: the first models were 8-inch tall. The first customer of the Yellow Boot was Italian and, in 1978, its tree-shaped logo had become so popular that the Swartz family decided to rename the company as The Timberland Company. This model was a huge success in Italy, then across Europe and, during the ‘90s, sales had tripled. “The humble yellow boot” was, at this point, a fashion icon, also because various American hip-hop artists had started to wear it.

Desert Boot Clarks

In 1941, Nathan Clark, enlisted in the British Army, was dispatched to Myanmar. There, he notices a few officials wearing unconventional models of footwear. So, he takes a newspaper and cuts out a pattern from the paper, which he sends to his family’s shoe factory in Street, Somerset. But his project was rejected. Back in the United Kingdom, Nathan doesn’t give up and he starts experimenting with the most suitable materials in order to bring it to life. His first desert boot was unveiled at the National Shoe Fair, held in Chicago in 1949. The dedication of Mr. Clark is revealed to be the best strategy as, in the mid-1960s, “the Clarks” became extremely popular in England and, then, in the whole world.

UGG Classic Boot

In 1978, the young Australian surfer Brian Smith decided to turn his life around and move to California. There, he noticed that his surfer friends are not used to wearing sheepskin boots to keep their feet warm once they get out of the water, as Australians did. So, he relentlessly works with the aim of bringing to life his bold and innovative idea and, for this reason, he proposes this product to 150 shops in Southern California. They all reject his idea. Therefore, he decides to take the matter into his own hands. He parks his van right on the beach of Malibù and he transforms it into a shop. Brian’s boots become more and more popular and, within a decade, they are commonly worn even by celebrities.

Sperry Top-Sider

After slipping too many times on the wet deck of his boat, the “Sirocco”, Paul Sperry starts to think about a solution. On a snowy morning in 1935, he takes his docker spaniel Prince for a walk and he notices that the dog remained steady on the wet surface. He discovers a series of “cracks” in Prince’s paws and, therefore, he decides to replicate them on the sole of a shoe, by cutting grooves directly in the rubber. His first non-slip shoe, specifically designed to be worn on boat decks, had its global debut in 1935.

The shoes are an instant hit. In 1937, a leather version appeared for the first time: the model nowadays known as Authentic Original. In 1939, Sperry patented his non-slip sole and, in 1940, the United States implemented the Sperry shoes as a standard footwear of the casual uniform of the U.S. Navy. Another crucial year was 1987, when Sperry became the official supplier to the U.S. sailing team that, in the same year, won back the America’s Cup.

Ballerina flats

It is the mid-1700s, and the French ballerina Maria Anne de Cupis de Camargo, known as “the Camargo”, gets struck by the idea of removing the heel from her ballet shoes, in order to make them more suitable for dancing. But the first shoemaker to launch the ballerina flats on the market was the Russian Jacob Bloch who, in the early 1930s, after moving to Australia and, finally, to London, started to create custom-made ballet shoes.

The turning point came in 1947, in France, when Rose Repetto (of Italian origin), in order to meet his son’s requests – the dancer and choreographer Roland Petit – unveiled a much more comfortable version of the Ballerina flats, designed for being better suitable for dancing. Then, it was Capezio, a specialized brand, that improved their aesthetic appearance. The model took the market by storm when Hollywood movie stars – from Brigitte Bardot to Audrey Hepburn – began wearing the ballerina flats.

Birkenstock Madrid

Thanks to the Madrid sandal, launched in the 1960s, Birkenstock makes his debut in the fashion world, winning over an ever-growing audience. The German brand unveiled the Madrid model at the footwear fair held in Düsseldorf in 1963. It features a flexible cork and latex insole and a simple adjustable strap. It represents a cutting-edge sandal that, actually, didn’t have quite an instant success. But it doesn’t take long for this “sneaker sandal” to become a hit. It will be defined this way because, when walking, the grip of the toes keeps the foot and leg muscles active. The plain and functional design has turned it into an icon of hippie culture and, progressively, a must-have for fans of this casual and laid-back style. Not only: it has been recently reinterpreted by various luxury brands.

Crocs Classic Clog

The Crocs Classic Clog were born in Colorado in 2002, and were designed by Scott Seamans, Lyndon Hanson and George Boedecker Jr. as non-slip boat shoes, light-weight and odor-resistant, made with the innovative Croslite resin material. The water resistance of Croslite, additionally, prevents the absorption of sweat or the stagnation of water, preventing as well as the growth of bacteria and odors, the wear typically caused by moisture.

The first 200 pairs were unveiled (and sold) at the Fort Lauderdale Boat Show. Their final destination was on the decks of boats. Lightweight composition, durability and water resistance, as well as ease of washing, were crucial characteristics specifically considered for the world of sailing. Besides their controversial aesthetic, their extraordinary comfort has turned them into a global phenomenon; a versatile and functional fashion icon.

Salomon XT-6

The history of this sneaker is unique. It was launched in 2012 as a high-performance trail running shoe for elite athletes. At first, it encountered a small success thanks to its fans but, then, its appeal began to wane and the sneaker was progressively forgotten, as well as taken off the market. In fact, by 2016, the mold was about to be destroyed. The newly hired Jean-Philippe Lalonde, Salomon’s fashion program manager, objected and started to develop various designs, in brand new colors. During the Fall of 2018, the XT-6 came back into shops and was rapidly worn by world-renowned artists such as Rihanna, Pusha-T and Dev Hynes. Its popularity rose between 2022 and 2023. The shoe is seen on trails, but even in cafes, art galleries or musical festivals. Its appeal lies in its versatility. Functional and (now) even fashionable.

Espadrilles

The espadrilles have a history dating back a thousand years, during which they have evolved from simple peasant footwear into icons of the global high fashion world. Apart from prehistoric findings, it was during the Middle Ages that the name “alpargata” first appeared. This term comes from the Hispanic Arabic “alpargát”, which means “object made from twigs”. In the XIV century, the espadrilles became the footwear of choice of peasants and farmers in Spain, especially thanks to their durable, breathable and comfortable soles, which made them ideal for everyday work.

During the XV century, the espadrilles became more refined, as they started to gain popularity even among society’s upper classes, as an alternative to leather shoes. During the XVIII and XIX centuries, they were worn even by Spanish soldiers. Progressively, they began to be worn by painters, writers, intellectuals and Hollywood stars. In 1972, the turning point happened with Yves Saint Laurent, who met Isabel and Lorenzo Castañer in Paris, and commissioned them the first espadrilles model with a wedge heel. This crucial innovation propelled the shoe onto the haute couture runways.

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