SugarTalk #1 - The History of Wedge Sneakers
I just bought these silver Prada sport wedge sneakers:
Wedge sneakers slay; plus, I love shopping.
I’m not here to just talk about my recent shopping haul or my addiction to online shopping that surpasses my need to save money for other essentials, though. I’m here to dive into the dimensions of wedge sneakers. Who made them? Why and when were they made? How do we feel about them?
Let’s dive in.
Before sneakers as we know existed, we had plimsolls made by the New Liverpool Rubber Company in the United Kingdom during the last 18th century. When people began to seek comfortable shoes for leisure purposes towards the end of WWI, people’s need for soles more flexible and comfy, in comparison to leather soles, rose. Around 1916, the U.S. Rubber Company introduced rubber shoes with canvas tops called Keds in the United States for the first time. Shortly after, Marquis Converse produced the first shoe made just for basketball, the Converse All-Stars sparking the sneaker trend. Yes, the Converse shoes we wear today are one of the very first designs of rubber shoes in the United States. Then came the international production of sneakers: Adidas, Nike, New Balance… blah blah capitalism, mass production, sneakerheads, panda dunks, overpriced at-best-mid-sneakers, and so on.
lol
And listen, heels have been around for even LONGER. We can trace it back thousands of years. To the Romans, Greeks, the Chinese… But the popularity of wedge heels in the modern world is credited to none other than Salvatore Ferragamo who used cork for heel support when there was a lack of materials during WWII when steel became scarce. Yes, you heard me - World War Two. Wedge heels are the fashion children of WW2. Sidenote, isn’t it mindblowing to think of how much of our lives are impacted by war? I’m thinking chocolate, SPAM, spices, tea, fashion… It’s crazy.
ANYWAY.
The first wedge sneaker was produced by the ingenious Isabel Marant in 2012. Called the “Bekett” wedge sneakers, they became SUPER trendy in the early 2010s. Countless celebrities were spotted rocking them; Beyonce in “Love on Top” music video, Rihanna, Gisele Bündchen, Kendall Jenner, and so on. At one point, the sneaker wedges were so popular that there was a six-month waitlist for the shoe.
(ngl she ate)
This is my take on wedge sneakers: Combining sneakers with wedges? So easy. So good. So sneaky. Very hot but ironically. Girls who wear this can look so confident and sexy and sleazy at the same time. It easily goes with shorts, skirts, pants, dresses, hats, and beanies.. its possibilities are endless. It’s an easy fashion statement because they are so versatile. Isabel Marant took wedges to the next level. And let’s not forget about the comfort. Who says our backs must suffer to look good anymore? As Ferragamo claimed, wearing heels and feeling comfortable are not incompatible after all.
Lately, there are so many trends and microtrends coming in and out fast-paced that it feels almost impossible to keep track. Where do you think wedge sneakers fit in? Do you think they are making a big comeback? How do we feel about them? Let me know.