The history of shoes: How Grasshoppers became style icons

2022-09-19 02:38:12 By : Mr. Abie Peng

Lester spoke with Timothy Vermeulen - Development Manager for comfort division of Bolton Footwear.

Regardless of your opinion on fashion, it's undeniable that fashion isn't just functional, it's cultural. Think Air Jordan, Manolo Blahnik, Dr. Martens, Converse - all iconic in their own right, but we forget sometimes that there's a homegrown footwear legend that's lasted uncontested for years. The Grasshopper.

They started as a labourer's shoe, mainly farm workers. But at some point in its long history, the grasshopper became the cool kid's shoe.

According to Lester, when he was in high school that was what the cool kids - or naughty kids - wore.

It's hard to imagine how it evolved from a farmer's shoe to a school shoe and now to a piece of footwear that is no longer out of necessity, but of style.

So on Wednesday, Lester reflected on the history of Grasshoppers - through leading footwear company - Bolton Footwear, that popularised the shoe.

I wore Grasshoppers, and much like your mom and dad, my mom told me, you know, that's a shoe for skollies... But we begged her... she was she was wrong, especially now that we work for them today.

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