Since the dawn of time, people have repaired common household items that are only slightly damaged. When our shirts have a tear, we mend them. When our cars break down, we don’t just send them to the wreckers, we take them to a mechanic to get them fixed. It’s been a long time since we’ve done this with shoes, though, and one company hopes to grant people cobbler like skills at home with their RIY, or Repair It Yourself, line of shoes.
The concept is novel, and even noble. In a time when people have less money than ever, providing the option to easily repair ones shoes could be invaluable. The trouble is that, in my opinion, these shoes are exceedingly ugly. As I think you’ll agree after watching the video below, the shoes look like something a clown or court jester would wear, or perhaps even a travelling hobo complete with sack-on-a-stick travel gear.
Repair It Yourself Shoes
Whoever is wearing these seems thrilled to be doing so. I guess I would be too if my shoes had a giant, happy yellow blotch on them. Notice how the shoes get uglier and uglier the more he dances, like a sort of dancing curse.
I’m really torn here, because I like the notion of fixing my own shoes. What I don’t like is how ugly they seem to look afterwards. If a person can figure out a way to easily allow people to make minor repairs to their shoes, while still having them come out looking respectable, I’m all for it.
You’ll find more information and pictures about this project at Eumo.
There was a name for these – before the hype, before the gimmick, definitely before the rubber soles – I believe they were called “espadrilles” 😉