Sneakers are a real fashion phenomenon. The star of the shoes, worn everywhere and by everyone, what are these “must-haves” that have become essential and how did we design our Oodoo sneaker?
First of all, what does Sneaker mean?
The word comes from the american verb to sneak, which roughly means “to move quietly”. At the beginning of the 19th century, long before the invention of the sneaker, to sneak was attributed to thieves who sneaked away. Except that at the time, we walked around in all-leather shoes with heels! The noise could hardly go unnoticed. It was in 1870, when the rubber industry began its incredible growth (thanks to Charles Goodyear in particular), that the United States Rubber Company began to create shoes with rubber soles. Light, comfortable, discreet and perfect to silently run away after stealing! Before this invention, apart from the fact that all shoes had a heel, there was no difference between the right foot and the left foot!
It was during the 20th century, as leisure time increased and the practice of sport developed (tennis, basketball, football, etc.), that the shape and design of sneakers evolved. From the 1950s onwards, they became “the favorites” of young people who, as a result of seeing celebrities, began to wear them on a daily basis. Sales literally exploded until they experienced a boom in the 80s as they became more and more popular.
Our RANDY sneaker
It's difficult to find a place in a market literally flooded with sneakers… We could have settled for a basic sneaker that still works well but attracted as we are by the constraints which often lead to the unexpected and sometimes the best, we gave free rein to our imagination, and went for something innovative. We wanted a unique sneaker, with a cool style, not “too clean”. We also had to remain loyal to our philosophy, promoting manual work and authenticity in the materials used. We traditionally sourced our leathers in Italy to create a retro line involving raw materials. And we made the bet, of course, to stick with our signature upcycled tire sole.
To produce it, we collaborated with a small Spanish factory specialized in this type of product, that we know well and with which we work closely.
The result is an atypical sneaker made entirely of napa leather and suede leather inserts, with an upcycled tire sole and a 100% natural Hevea (natural crepe) edge band. Everything has been designed for comfort and style.
The leather on the upper is flexible and breathable, as are the lining and the removable LAT-AIR ® thermoformed insole. The sole, made from tires, is 100% handmade AND hand-sewn. Well no, these are not the traditional molded soles which are generally used to make sneakers and which arrive ready-made and often from very far away! They have been cut from a strip of tire using a die-cut template specially designed for the shape of the Randy.
Unlike the sole of the majority of sneakers, the Randy sole is sewn using the Blake stitching technique. No glue ! Rare enough to not point it out… Another originality is the strip of natural Hevea which goes all around the Randy, also sewn using this time the "side sewn" process.
Basically, we made a pair of sneakers that matches our motivations: no less than 100 manual operations have been necessary to create this little technical aesthetic gem with an unmistakable vintage and sporty look. A model that is not very easy to create, let’s say it clear… But aren’t the constraints the very essence of creativity?
Let’s take the road together !