Sole Encounters: Reflection on the Feeling Fashion Podcast
News Alexandra Sherlock News Alexandra Sherlock

Sole Encounters: Reflection on the Feeling Fashion Podcast

In this episode of the Feeling Fashion Podcast, Alex Sherlock joined host Adele Varcoe and fellow Footwear Research Networker Ellen Sampson to explore how shoes shape and are shaped by human experience. Having known each other for nearly 15 years, this conversation allowed Ellen and Alex to explore their overlapping yet distinct research approaches to footwear's role in processes of identification and as mediators between bodies, environments, cultures, and societies.

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Legally, they can’t be called ‘uggs’ outside of Australia – but the name will stick regardless
News Alexandra Sherlock News Alexandra Sherlock

Legally, they can’t be called ‘uggs’ outside of Australia – but the name will stick regardless

While environmental sustainability is becoming a priority for brands and the media, cultural sustainability often takes a back seat. In this article for The Conversation AU/NZ, Alexandra Sherlock discusses the ongoing battle between Deckers Brands and Australian manufacturers over the right to use ‘ugg’ to sell quintessentially Australian sheepskin boots outside Australia.

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Reflection on the 10th Shoes and Clothing in History Conference 2024 in Zlín (Czech Republic)
Research News, Historical and cultural studies Charlotte Stachel Research News, Historical and cultural studies Charlotte Stachel

Reflection on the 10th Shoes and Clothing in History Conference 2024 in Zlín (Czech Republic)

At the 10th Shoes and Clothing in History Conference in Zlín, Charlotte Stachel presented research on "Swissness in a Heritage Fashion Brand—The Case of Bally." The conference, which was held in Bata's hometown and included tours of historic facilities and exhibits, allowed the author to reflect on how different European shoe brands have shaped and preserved their distinct cultural and industrial legacies.

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Footwear in former colonies: new steps for researching shoes, their meanings and uses in 19th-century Americas (1780-1920)
Article Cecília Soares Article Cecília Soares

Footwear in former colonies: new steps for researching shoes, their meanings and uses in 19th-century Americas (1780-1920)

How can footwear reveal colonial power dynamics? Through examination of shoes in 19th-century Americas, Dr. Cecília Soares explores how shoes reflected both slavery and freedom, industrialisation, and global fashion trends. Drawing on diverse sources from museum collections to period artwork, this study illuminates how footwear embodied both local practices and international influences. (Image: Gabriela Garcia)

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Watch Your Step: 3 things the Sneaker Industry Needs To Evolve
Insights Sean Williams Insights Sean Williams

Watch Your Step: 3 things the Sneaker Industry Needs To Evolve

Amid almost weekly updates of plummeting profits, unsold stock and layoffs, we asked sneaker expert and educator Sean Williams, co-founder of the SOLEcial Studies Community Academy, what the sneaker industry needs to stay relevant and innovate. His answer? Diversity, a deeper understanding of the social and cultural significance of sneakers and pathways through education.

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When Shoe Heritage is on Display: The Museums and Archives Directory 
Footwear Resources Charlotte Stachel & Professor Lorenzo Cantoni Footwear Resources Charlotte Stachel & Professor Lorenzo Cantoni

When Shoe Heritage is on Display: The Museums and Archives Directory 

Over the last decade, fashion exhibitions have become magnets for visitors. Since the pandemic, virtual exhibitions have experienced a boom. In this article, Charlotte Stachel and Professor Lorenzo Cantoni at the Università della Svizzera Italiana introduce you to a study on shoe museums' web presence and present the Footwear Research Network's Museums and Archives Directory.

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More From the Footwear Research Network…

If the shoe fits:
FootweaR, Identity & Transition

The Footwear Research Network is an outcome of the ESRC-funded research project If the Shoe Fits: Footwear Identity and Transition at the University of Sheffield (2010-2013). Learn more about the project and research outputs here.