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.
Rethinking the Sneakersphere: An interview with Woody Wood
What are the key challenges facing the sneaker industry today? Editor-in-Chief and founder of Sneaker Freaker magazine, Woody Wood, provides some valuable insights in this exclusive interview with the Footwear Research Network.
Veganism and footwear - new insights into a growing market.
As veganism continues to grow, Dr. Rachel Lamarche-Beauchesne shares research findings exploring consumer challenges and strategic opportunities.
An Ode to Clogs
Iconic, ancient, unassuming yet loud! British/Swedish poet, writer and lyricist Katt Brown shares a powerfully personal relationship with clogs.
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.
Out of step: Why sneakers and sportswear still lag on sustainability
Have you ever wondered what becomes of your old sports shoes? In this article for newswire publisher 360info, Dr Rebecca Van Amber and Dr Alexandra Sherlock examine some of the current sustainability challenges facing the sports and athleisure apparel market.
The Footwear Research Network: a bridge between the footwear industry and academia
Footwear Research Network founding editor, Dr. Alexandra Sherlock, spoke recently with World Footwear about the benefits of Academe-Industry collaboration to address current social, cultural and environmental challenges.
Sneaker Deconstruction as Project-Based Learning
How can sneakers be used to teach high school students about the environmental impacts of fashion and footwear production? This project with students from Melbourne’s St Columba’s College provided an opportunity to find out.
Book review: Future Now: Virtual Sneakers to Cutting-Edge Kicks
As the Bata Shoe Museum’s exhibition Future Now: Virtual Sneakers to Cutting Edge Kicks comes to an end, Alex Sherlock reviews Senior Curator Elizabeth Semmelhack’s important exhibition publication. Whether you’ve seen the exhibition or not, this book is an indispensable resource for anyone interested in transforming the footwear industry for the better.
8th Street Samba: here’s why the authentic collaboration behind the ‘perfect sneaker’ matters
As the fashion industry strives towards a more circular and sustainable future, Dr Alexandra Sherlock and Professor Andrew Groves explore the pros and cons of sneaker collaborations. Full article available at The Conversation UK.
The Art and Science of Repair: Towards a Responsible and Meaningful Relationship with Footwear
Sustainability in Fashion Masters Graduate Kirraly Antcliff discusses the importance of footwear repair and the responsibility of brands to care for their products beyond the point of sale.
Gen Z grew up in a world filled with ugly fashion – no wonder they love their Crocs
Footwear Research Network contributor Dr. Emily Brayshaw writes for The Conversation to explore why the infamous Croc continues to go from strength to strength.