"At Stanford University two sales representatives from Nike were watching the athletics team practise. Part of their job was to gather feedback from the company's sponsored runners about which shoes they preferred. Unfortunately, it was proving difficult that day as the runners all seemed to prefer... nothing" - from Christopher McDougall's forthcoming book "Born to Run" which looks at the story the growth of the $20 billion running shoe industry. Starting form Bill Bowerman's Cortez in 1972 onwards runners have seen a steady flow of innovations to improve performance and reduce injury rates. Only it would appear they may not work. By way of contrast the book includes coverage of the Mexican Tarahumara tribe who run ultramarathons with shoes made from car tyres on their feet.
posted by rongorongo on Apr 20, 2009 - 38 comments

Women losing their shoes, mostly high heels, appear to be a common theme in movies and TV serials... This list one is the first, consisting of what I term “Prime” shoe loss scenes... [more inside]
posted by fearfulsymmetry on Apr 18, 2009 - 50 comments

Wednesday, a woman jumped from the top tier of the Queens Center Mall, leaving by the railing a distraught companion, her purse, and her shoes. At first glance it would seem a spontaneous, strange thing to do, but it was most likely a premeditated action to show her intent. Workers on the Golden Gate Bridge use shoes as a clue of somebody about to jump, and Japan has long known that people who end their life leave their shoes behind. Age has little to do with it, and method seems irrelevant, so the common bond seems to be that taking off your shoes is the second-to-the-last decision some people make in their lives.
posted by AzraelBrown on Apr 10, 2009 - 125 comments

"...relatives and fans of the shoe-throwing journalist, who has become a national hero, have staged a sit-in in a park adjacent to the Green Zone, and their numbers are growing. Army tanks and helicopters surrounded the 400 protesters and demanded they disband, but authorities were apparently persuaded that Iraq didn't need its own Tiananmen Square massacre, so the protest continues. Indeed, al-Zeidi has become a unifying figure for an Iraq split along a deep sectarian divide, with Sunnis from Samarra reportedly joining the predominantly Shi'ite supporters of the shoe-thrower. At last report, the two groups were sitting side by side eating lamb and vegetables, with the soldiers guarding them joining in." Via [more inside]
posted by 445supermag on Dec 22, 2008 - 77 comments

The shoe hurled at President George W. Bush has sent sales soaring at the Turkish maker. "Istanbul-based Baydan Ayakkabicilik ...has received orders for 300,000 pairs of the shoes since the attack, more than four times the number his company sold each year since the model was introduced in 1999. The company plans to employ 100 more staff to meet demand, he said..."
posted by mojohand on Dec 21, 2008 - 48 comments

Shoes thrown at President Bush in Iraq. As America prepares to give him the boot, President Bush was forced to do some atypical sole searching during a press conference in Iraq when an Iraqi television reporter flung both shoes at him. HuffP has MSNBC video without ads and adds: "In Iraqi culture, throwing shoes at someone is a sign of contempt. Iraqis whacked a statue of Saddam Hussein with their shoes after U.S. marines toppled it to the ground after the 2003 invasion." This is a "gross insult in the Arab world." Value added video.
posted by xorry on Dec 14, 2008 - 286 comments

Sneakers: A Short Film Meditation on International Shoe Culture [more inside]
posted by Potomac Avenue on Nov 12, 2008 - 9 comments

While you may not be the shoe hoarder some people are, you have shoes in your closet you never wear and you'd like to know what to do with them. Are they just boring? In that case you could just experiment with new ways to lace them, or find a way to make them light up when you walk into a room. Or you could draw on the shoes with markers or sharpies. You could also paint them, going with the theme of your choice: Art Nouveau, Picasso, Day of the Dead, or any of the ideas here. You could cut motifs from fabric and glue them on to your lace-ups, cover your flats with new fabric, bling up a pair of strappy shoes with glitter, or embellish your flip-flops with some yarn. Is the old upper worn out? Knit or crochet a new one. Want to get where you're going faster? Make custom roller skates, or modify your bicycle. Do your shoes hurt your feet? Put them on your face instead as a wrestling mask, or turn them into an iPod case. Your shoes could also become a birdhouse, a planter, a centrepiece, or an integral part of a coat rack, bookends or leg lamp. If you're really not up to crafting, here are 11 non-crafty ways to recycle old shoes. But what fun is that?!?
posted by orange swan on Oct 29, 2008 - 22 comments

Modista [via mefi projects] [more inside]
posted by ThePinkSuperhero on Oct 22, 2008 - 42 comments

Designer Jeff Staple may have his name on Levis but he really made his name in 2005 when, in conjunction with Nike, he put a pigeon logo on 200 pairs of Nike Dunks. Today they sell for up to $3000. In June The Pigeon made a special appearance on a camera and now The Pigeon returns on 650 pairs of New Balance shoes that are released globally on Wednesday. Nike probably wont be impressed.
posted by meech on Aug 3, 2008 - 49 comments

Walking a mile in our heels. [more inside]
posted by miss lynnster on Jul 30, 2008 - 186 comments

Whether you want to learn to lace shoes, tie shoelaces, stop shoelaces from coming undone, calculate shoelace lengths or even repair aglets, Ian's Shoelace Site has the answer!
posted by Blazecock Pileon on Jun 27, 2008 - 22 comments

You Walk Wrong. "It took 4 million years of evolution to perfect the human foot. But we’re wrecking it with every step we take." [Via]
posted by homunculus on Apr 22, 2008 - 102 comments

Barefootin'! Ron Hunter, men's basketball coach of IUPUI, decides to raise awareness for Samaritan's Feet, a charity that collects shoes for needy children, by coaching barefoot. Initially, he hoped to collect 40,000 pairs in honor of the 40th anniversary of the death of Martin Luther King Jr. - 110,000 pairs of shoes were collected by tip-off. [more inside]
posted by geekyguy on Jan 27, 2008 - 7 comments

How you'll wear shoes in the future... "You start with a 'bone': the made-to-measure core of the shoe that cradles your foot. You cover the bone with one of many 'skins,' the shell and sole of the shoe that creates the look everyone else sees."
posted by hermitosis on Oct 17, 2007 - 46 comments

Zappos brings customer to tears (in a good way)
posted by growabrain on Oct 15, 2007 - 38 comments

The Aphrodite Project : both an homage to Aphrodite and her prostitute-priestesses as well as a practical tool for the contemporary sex worker. Or, GPS platform shoes for street hos. Check the demo.
posted by Burhanistan on Aug 18, 2007 - 23 comments

The Shoe Project: people and their shoes. Simple and sweet, I don't know why this makes me smile so much but it does. (via swissmiss)
posted by mathowie on Aug 15, 2007 - 23 comments

Shoefiti: Shoes on powerlines. Shoefiti Phenomenology. Not to be confused with shoe trees.
posted by Rumple on May 28, 2007 - 28 comments

He fought battles on the Plain of Jars, hid his rebel faction in caves for nine years to escape U.S bombs and now has a huge museum in Vientiane. Laos' Kaysone Phomvihane is not the most well documented 20th century communist leader. And not everybody is happy about him of course. But if you want to judge him for yourself go to Laos and visit those caves or visit his humble residence and have a look at his tennis shoes.
posted by PHINC on Apr 19, 2007 - 10 comments

Nike Air McFly to be released?!
posted by hermitosis on Apr 17, 2007 - 55 comments

Design your own Chuck Taylors. Not normally a fan of corporate gimmickry. However, I grew up wearing these, and as a wee lad always dreamed of this day. (In the eighties the best that could be managed was to try to sneak a mixed pair under the nose of the sales clerk.) My Chucks were as beautiful as they were useful. And in those days they were still sweatshop-free.I knew little of the man, as the youth of tomorrow may know little of this one. I conclude with a parable.
posted by flotson on Apr 16, 2007 - 68 comments

Punitive shoes, chopines, namakshin and kabkabs, sabots, lotus shoes, all over the world, weird and strange contemporary styles. [previously]
posted by nickyskye on Mar 29, 2007 - 19 comments

Werner Herzog Eats His Shoe (1980)
posted by StopMakingSense on Aug 27, 2006 - 30 comments

The Berlutis have been making shoes for four generations. Often at Maison Berluti relationships are formed around the language of shoes. Men gather for shoe-polishing sessions, where champagne flows.
posted by owhydididoit on Aug 18, 2006 - 11 comments

Conceptual dresses in leaves, feathers and more. Shoes of glass, cultural tradition and ideas.
posted by nickyskye on Jul 20, 2006 - 10 comments

Kelly Likes Shoes.
posted by fandango_matt on Jun 25, 2006 - 67 comments

It's the shoes. Yeah, another iPod post. And a Nike post. iPod + Nike, guaranteed to inflame millions.
posted by fixedgear on May 23, 2006 - 46 comments

Adidas earns the love of the masses once again, this time with racist shoes! The most offensive part of the design is taken from original work by Barry McGee. Yeah, maybe it's taken out of context (of, say, other work dealing with racism), or is it some kind of inevitable comic artist attraction to stereotypical imagery of the past? At any rate, those wily Asians at Giant Robot seem to like it, and his fans don't seem that offended.

Whether you love or hate that particularly inscrutable mascot, McGee is actually an experienced, prolific, and talented guy. (He was also married to artist Margaret Kilgallen until her death in 2001, and is now the single father of their daughter Asha.) McGee once said, "Sometimes a rock soaring through a plate of glass can be the most beautiful, compelling work of art I have ever seen". Oh, and p.s.--he's half-Chinese, you cry-babies ;-) More on the controversy: 1, 2, 3.
posted by ibeji on Apr 10, 2006 - 48 comments

Remember that really shocking circa-2003 PUMA advertisement that no one would take responsibility for? Its mystery has finally unraveled.
posted by Bryan Behrenshausen on Feb 10, 2006 - 38 comments

Kevin Blechdom is a girl. Along with Blevin Blectum, she was once 1/2 of the duo Blectum from Blechdom (R.I.P.). Kevin is now a solo artist (as is Blevin) living in Germany. Her website is chock full of fun and embarrassing things, such as dirty comics, her homemade patches for MAX/MSP (an amazing virtual synth program), the Blectionary (in case you need help deciphering her world), and four songs from the hit Broadway and theatrical musical 'Annie' as performed by a (hopefully) preteen Kevin. Complete table of contents here. (note: some links may be NSFW. Please be careful.)
posted by Item on Jan 26, 2006 - 20 comments

These boots are made for... immigrating!
posted by shoepal on Nov 17, 2005 - 26 comments

Shoes of local and national rock n' rollers. It all started one day when we were sitting around talking about how much we love each other, how much we love rock n roll, and how much we love shoes, when Amy exclaimed "That's IT!!! We need to make a web site that combines our love of rock n roll and shoes.
posted by KevinSkomsvold on Oct 6, 2005 - 14 comments

The Manolo, he has the blog. Not into shoes? The Manolo also has thoughts on the books, the movies, the music. Also the Bad Fashion and the Pure Evil. Not to be missed- the Manolo Mobile. (Disclaimer: Manolo the Shoeblogger is not Manolo Blahnik)
posted by IndigoJones on Sep 3, 2005 - 8 comments

Smart Shoes. "Run Billy, RUN! Only 5,800 more steps and you can watch American Idol!"
posted by miss lynnster on May 19, 2005 - 18 comments

Nike doesn't want poor people to buy its shoes. Funny, you'd think K-Mart and Nike would have a lot in common.
posted by mrgrimm on May 7, 2005 - 60 comments

Feet Me. Celebrity shoes live onstage: from assertive Beastie Boys and PJ Harvey to sporty Yeah Yeah Yeahs and Neil Young, from old skool Claudio Abbado and Nick Cave to minimalist, shoeless David Bowie.
posted by matteo on Apr 26, 2005 - 17 comments

Hot on the heels of the 'wet shave' it's the five minute shoe shine.
posted by fixedgear on Apr 6, 2005 - 34 comments

Philippe Starck's been making lots of stuff lately, but I didn't know he was producing shoes for Puma until today (flash site features an odd naked guy you can make jump and walk). Clean and sleek, but they're fetching $200+ a pair which is kind of outrageous. Another bunch of freaky expensive wacky shoe designs I found are from Fessura. Click through their gallery to get an idea of what they offer. Medium continue to be my personal favorite shoes, but I'm always on the lookout for more interesting things to wear. If you've seen any interesting shoes lately, do share.
posted by mathowie on Nov 3, 2004 - 25 comments

Cultural Revolution When Nike founder Phil Knight first traveled to China in 1980, before Beijing could even ship to U.S. ports, the country was just emerging from the turmoil of the Cultural Revolution. By the mid-'80s, Knight had moved much of his production to China from South Korea and Taiwan. But he saw China as more than a workshop. "There are 2 billion feet out there," former Nike executives recall his saying. "Go get them!". The Chinese responded (the goal was "to hook kids into Nike early and hold them for life"): sales through the 1990s picked up 60% a year. Here's how Phil Knight did it. Print page for main link here
posted by matteo on Oct 29, 2004 - 8 comments

Shoe lacing
posted by srboisvert on Oct 23, 2004 - 8 comments

Operation Shoe Fly • From Afghanistan, Sgt Hook writes, "So my esteemed friends of the blogosphere...I announce the beginning of Operation Shoe Fly in an effort to shoe the children with no shoes on their feet. If you can collect the shoes, used or new, boys' and girls' (age 14 and under), and send them to me, my crewdogs and I will fly them out to the Afghani kids who so desperately need them."
posted by dhoyt on Jun 16, 2004 - 38 comments

Punitive shoes - cruel shoes are nothing new. From 1000 years of lily-footed Chinese concubines to Renaissance Venetian courtesans, footwear has migrated from the sex trade to more popular and mainstream culture. Foot fetishists throughout the centuries have endured painful training and disfigurement for notions of eroticism and sexy feet. For those who want the sex without the pain, there's always some rather delightfully erotic socks.
posted by madamjujujive on Mar 7, 2004 - 12 comments

So let me get this straight. These shoes, they vibrate? All joking aside, the use of tiny vibrations in the soles of shoes to help keep the elderly from falling seems like a very interesting idea...
posted by Lokheed on Oct 3, 2003 - 4 comments

Chucks News of Nike's buyout of Converse got me thinking about the oldest sneakers around. I don't mean that crusty pair buried in your closet, unless it's (likely for some of us) the Chuck Taylor All-Star basketball shoe. Sure, some of us wouldn't be caught in a pair, but as the choice of legends, the uniform footwear of baby-boomer youth (knock-offs were worn at risk of mild derision) and as a cultural mission statement, this 80-year-old low-tech affair is still chuck-full of game, and still as affordable as that other guy's shoe isn't. Fortunately for the shoe's many adoring fans, the word is that the Star won't be replaced by a Swoosh.
posted by LinusMines on Jul 11, 2003 - 39 comments

600 pounds of thrift store clothing becomes 510 pairs of unique shoes. Puma's Top Winner Thrift project.
posted by modofo on Jun 18, 2003 - 7 comments

I don't wanna start any blasphemous rumours, but I think these flip-flops got some 'splaining to do.
posted by mikrophon on May 15, 2003 - 38 comments

The culture of a society, is largely invisable to it's inhabitants. While the bigger things in our own cultures are easily identifiable, such as food, customs and religion. More unique things like hitting a statue or a picture of Saddam with a shoe, are not. Symbolism is usually subtle and can easily be missed or misinterpreted by people from other cultures. This is a great article from BBC WORLD NEWS which explains some of the symbolism we're seeing in the Iraqi gatherings.
posted by Civa on Apr 10, 2003 - 2 comments

The Puma "French Pleasure" Campaign: Hoax From felixsalmon.com. via the AdCritic daily newsletter [Gawker AdRants got there first, however, on a tip from MemeFirst], comes a meme-hacking story straight from the Anarchist's Cookbook chapter on propaganda of the semiotic deed: the infamous Puma viral-marketing scam. It was Tim who got the official statement from the marketing geeks:

It has been brought to our attention that several unauthorized, sexually suggestive advertisements portraying the PUMA brand have been released over the Internet. We are appalled that images like these would be created and distributed under the PUMA name. As a brand, we seek to take a unique perspective toward our advertising in an effort to challenge the boundaries of our industry; however we would never consider using these tactics. We are in the process of researching the circumstances and reserve any legal steps available.

posted by hairyeyeball on Mar 14, 2003 - 70 comments

Solemates: The Century in Shoes is the most ridiculously well developed site on shoes I have ever seen. Journey through the decades with advertisements, movie clips, well-researched history, and most importantly -- 360 degree Quicktime views of shoes. How many shoes have you collected over the years? Do you still wear them? Why do women have to buy so many anyway? Are you more concerned with comfort or style now? Of course, I'm still saving up to buy some of those Fish Tank platform shoes from I'm Gonna Git You Sucka.
posted by Stan Chin on Jan 24, 2003 - 12 comments