Tag Archives: footwear

footwear, heels, pop, Popdiatribe

September Popdiatribe

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Happy September. It’s time for one of these liquid posts.

FootwearMustBeWornAtAllTimesNYCNo need to remind me.

FreshFourSeasonsSlippersShout Out to Four Seasons Hotel Slippers

JawdropperSandalI had a great time at Afropunk in Brooklyn last month. Besides music coming from 3 stages and a sound-truck, there was BMX freestyle, and a little section of pop-up shops. I don’t know too much about these sandals, but I snapped a quick pic when I was strolling through. They were being sold by Jawdroppers Jewelry. Pony was one of the sponsors of the fest. I’m not sure how I feel about their “Product Of New York” marketing slogan. They had a try-on booth in effect. 

Product of a screenshot from Pony's Instagram account
Product of a screenshot from Pony’s Instagram account

Maybe someone got the idea blazing to the Capone-N-Noreaga song T.O.N.Y. (Top Of New York). It has to be tough to stand out from the Nike-Puma-Asics-didas world order. I’m sure the people who work at Pony are fine folks, but the slogan seems to be insinuating that Pony Sneakers are made in New York– which they are not. I understand Bronx & Harlem fashion culture of the late 70s-early 80s produced an environment where sneakers pushed shoes aside as the choice for city dwellers on-the-move, but Product of New York is a very misleading statement. I’ll leave it at that. 

SanaiEssentialsHeelRingHolderJust this weekend I swung through the Bushwick Vendors Market held at Silent Barn In Brooklyn. This high-heel shaped ring holder caught my eye being sold by Sanai Essentials.

I love my Dynomighty Tyvek wallet. Ever since I got my first bank account card sheathed in an everlasting Tyvek sleeve, I’ve been fascinated by DuPont’s durable, long-lasting super paper. I was even surprised when I read this New York Times article about a couple companies based in New Jersey that use Tyvek in their shoe designs. 

Papes
Papes

Civic Duty (Secaucus) and Unstitched Utilities (East Brunswick, pictured above) use the Tyvek selective barrier technology in most or some of their Keds/Vans-like steppers. P.O.N.J.

RedSoxHighHeelBottleOpenerAs a Red Sox fan (Go PawSox!), I’d pretend I didn’t see this at Bob’s Store in Randolph, MA., but here’s a picture. Definitely not handmade, definitely not real diamonds- this is a high heel shaped wine bottle holder made of metal. You’d have to be buzzed to buy it. 

EVSRshoeOnRepairI caught this patient on the operating table at the hospital they call East Village Shoe Repair in Brooklyn. I’m sure our patient is back on the streets in good spirits as I hit post on the September Pop Gallery. 

Happy walking

3D Printing, customize, footwear, ingenuity, manufacturing, Shoes, technology

Walk To The Nearest

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A couple of imaginative designers have come up with a system that’ll create a pair of kicks faster than an orthodontist can mold a dental retainer.

Don'tRun-BetaLaserCutting

The system is called Don’t Run, and is the beta design project of Eugenia Morpurgo and Juan Montero from Europe. A laser cutting machine and some 3D printing guided by computer numerical control lets a creative person participate in making their own shoes like never before.

LaserCutUpperBySophiaGuggenbeger.A single cut piece of leather is folded over over a sandwich of custom cut sole materials connected by small pegs that resemble board game pieces.

Don'tRunConstruction

The whole enchilada is then secured by a shoelace, which also serves as stitching for key points on the upper. No glueing or machine sewing is involved.

Example of some finished Don't Runs
Example of some finished Don’t Runs

The mobile “factory” resembles more of a print shop, with leather instead of paper, ethylene vinyl acetate instead of cardboard, and spools of lace instead of staples.

http://www.dontrun-beta.com/
http://www.dontrun-beta.com/

The system has been travelling around in the mode of an art exhibit, with accomplished designers taking a swing with their own blueprints.  It’s certainly the beginning of an interesting experiment. I can’t picture your jogging sneakers of hiking boots being replaced by what is more of a beefed up slipper, but the Don’t Run model shows what is possible using fresh technology. Along with showcasing a streamlined model of production (therefore consumption), it may make going to brick and mortar shoe shops exciting  to a new-school consumer who would just assume click “buy” on a Zappos app.

All images from this post were grabbed from DontRun-Beta.com

Welcome

The First Step

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I was a BMX freestyle bike-riding kid in the 90s who loved Vans, Adidas, Converse and Airwalks. Now I’m a self-employed grown man who wears New Balance, Finn Comfort, Naot, and Chippewas. Along the way I collected bits of cultural, structural, and historical information about shoes- footwear- kicks- sneaks. Popdiatry is the platform on which I will expand on these observations with imagination, curiosity and humor.

I believe that the first step toward world peace and global harmony is everyone wearing properly-fitting footwear.  We love the feeling of waking up and taking on the day with a fresh pair of shoes or boots to step into. On days when cheer and positivity seem hard to find- there are those same shoes or boots we wore when things were great. Time for a reminder. Is your pinkie toe suffering due to years of tight fitting? Time to expand.

Shoes have stories, brands have history. Folks have loyalty to certain shoe brands that can be fanatic in nature.  From steel-toe to flip-flop, Popdiatry will be an open-minded observation tower where I look forward to learning as much as I teach. From lace deck to welted sole, I will present and share information about footwear and feet in such a way that no other blog or magazine will. My sources will be cited, and pictures credited. Thanks for reading and be sure to check back often.

-Chris from Brockton