Not many of us know the way footwear has become such an integral part of our lives. One peek into the history of the footwear industry and you will come away with a few interesting observations good enough to be coffeetable conversation for a good part of the weekend.
Happy reading!
* During the reign of Henry VIII, soles reaching six and a half inches wide were common.
* Early man, in warmer climates, invented the sandal by strapping a mat of woven grass, a strip of animal hide, or a slab of flat wood to his feet with ‘thongs’ he cut out of animal hide.
* Wealthy ancient Egyptians wore sandals as long as 5,000 years ago. The ancient Egyptians were the first shoemakers in the world.
* The average cost of a pair of running shoes is currently about $85-95 and this price has only slightly changed (by about 5%) over the past decade.
* In 1982, the most expensive shoe on the market was the Nike Air Columbia at a stratospheric $64.99!
* The first company to charge $100 for a pair of shoes was New Balance in 1983.
* The average exercise life of a running shoe is about 400 miles.
* All the shoe companies replace pretty much all of their models once a year, regardless of how well they’re selling.
* Nike, thanks to the dying wishes of the legendary Bill Bowerman, keeps a few of their models in their line for 18-24 months.
* Leaving a pair of a shoes near the window inside a closed car during summertime will melt the midsole.
* Early this year, a London department store went to great lengths to protect a luxury shoe collection by keeping a live cobra as a deterrent.
