The London Museum of Design has released the book 50 Shoes that Changed the World. From galoshes to uggs, from shoes from famous films to contemporary shoes or art objects, the book includes a variety of models that have influenced the shoe world over the past two centuries.
An important discovery occurred in the 1839 year: the American Charles Goodyear developed the technology of vulcanization of rubber, in which rubber became tough and able to withstand bad weather conditions. Thanks to vulcanization, the appearance of all sports shoes became possible. Its ancestors were the so-called plimsoll shoes, sports slippers with rubber soles. The invention quickly won the hearts of not only athletes, but also ordinary people. From them came the legendary All Star high basketball shoes, Nike Waffle Trainer sneakers on embossed soles resembling a shape for baking waffles, high classic Nike Air Jordan 1 sneakers. Charles Goodyear also owes his appearance to galoshes, flip-flops, Vietnamese (although it is more logical to call them "Japanese", since they come from traditional Japanese sandals) and "crocs". Since then, technology has not stood still, and since the 2008 of the year, the Brazilian company Melissa has been manufacturing shoes from the new generation of plastic “meflex”, comfortable and environmentally friendly.
Many shoe models appeared and gained popularity thanks to the cinema and show business. The famous American actress of the 1940's Carmen Miranda made shoes on the platform relevant: her height was 150 cm, and she always wore a high wedge. Red sequin pumps with a small steady heel became iconic thanks to the 1939 movie “The Wizard of Oz”. High men's Chelsea boots at the peak of fame were in the 1960's - they were worn by Beatles musicians. And to all the familiar ballet shoes were originally called “Cinderella”: before the appearance of the good fairy, the main character of the Disney cartoon of the same name went to them.
But there are much more prosaic stories. For example, the first Doctor Martens boots were invented in a post-war Germany crisis: the insoles were made of epaulette, the soles of discarded rubber, and the leather pants of the officer uniform were alter for the top.
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