THE EVOLUTION OF A CLASSIC
2010—2021

 

A RETROSPECTIVE ONLINE EXHIBITION
MAR 2021

 

1 – HISTORY
2 – ANATOMY
3 – EVOLUTION

 

Prototypes dates back as far as the 18th century – crudely designed “plimsoll” shoes with flat, rubber soles. The industrial revolution is in full swing, and in 1844 Charles Goodyear files a patient for vulcanization – the process by which natural rubber is made into durable products like tires. Half a century later, the Goodyear Company begins to market a tennis shoe made from vulcanized rubber.

The first true archetype arrives in 1916. The United States Rubber Company announces Keds, the first mass-produced shoe marketed to the pubic as a “sneaker.” That same year, Marquis Converse produces the first-ever Basket ball shoe, His sneakers are endorsed by Indiana hoops star Chuck Taylor, and the “Chuck Taylor” All-Stars quickly become the best selling basketball shoes of all time.

Keds, Converse, Jack Purcell, Stan Smith… Each name is an icon, recalling silhouettes that have paved the way for modern footwear. But these brands are also a byproduct of the industrial revolution and a mentality of mass-production.

 

SHOP CURRENT CLASSICS

Close-up of hand-sewn tan leather detailing FEIT handmade shoes, titled The Evolution of a Classic 2010 to 2021.

2010—2013

Two people against a white wall, one examining an unlaced tan leather handmade shoe.

FEIT begins with the new decade and the intention to recreate the classic court shoe without the use of synthetic materials. It is a process of minimization: a plimsoll-style shoe cut from a single piece of thick, vegetable tanned leather. Unlike their predecessors, each shoe is cut, stitched, and sewn entirely by hand, allowing materials and craftsmanship to speak for themselves. The Hand Sewn Low evolves over time, becoming softener and more comfortable  with each new iteration until, at last, the New Classics are born, luxury handmade versions of the classic court sneaker featuring hand-sewn construction, all natural materials, and raw, unlined edges for barefoot comfort.

 

SHOP CURRENT CLASSICS

Pair of tan natural leather FEIT handmade sneakers with laces on a grey background.

HANDSEWN LOW
First Handsewn Low — 2011

Pair of natural tan leather high-top handmade sneakers with loose laces on grey.

HANDSEWN HIGH
First Handsewn High — 2011

Row of FEIT handmade leather shoes in graduating tan to reddish-brown hues, laces splayed.
Row of FEIT handmade leather sneakers in black, brown, tan, and natural finishes.

HANDSEWN COLLECTION
First Iteration of Handsewn Collection in Vegetable Tanned Leathers — 2011

2013—2014

ANATOMY

All FEIT shoes begin with a single piece off vegetable dyed leather, hand-stitched at the heel. The seamless, one-piece leather upper shapes itself to the wearer’s foot and patinas with time.

 

SHOP CURRENT CLASSICS

Cross-section of a handmade leather sneaker showing cork midsole and layered construction.

CROSS SECTION
Exposed Natural Materials of Handsewn Low — 2012

Artisan hand-stitching and shaping natural tan leather uppers for FEIT handmade shoes.
Split view of an artisan shaping and hand-stitching natural leather while crafting handmade shoes.

HAND SEWN CONSTRUCTION
A Master Craftsmen Shapes and Stitches the
Upper around an Iron Last — 2014

Cross-section of a handmade tan leather shoe revealing hand-stitched layered sole construction.

VISCERA
A Cross-Section of a Handsewn Low — 2020
Natural Leather Sole - Natural Cork Footbed - Bamboo Shank - Leather Insole - Semi-Cordovan Upper.

Tan leather sneaker shown with its sole and a leather strip in a flat-lay.
Cross-sectioned tan leather FEIT shoe revealing hand-stitched construction layers and natural sole.
Pair of tan leather lace-up boots shown from above with loose leather laces.
Tan leather handmade high-top sneaker with long laces, shown in profile on a cream backdrop.

PATINA — 7 YEAR MARK
Natural Aging and Patina of Handsewn High in Vegetable Tan Leather

Artisan in white shirt hand-stitching a leather shoe sole in dim workshop light.

HAND SEWN CONSTRUCTION
A Master Craftsmen at work

2010—2021

Rear view of tan handmade leather shoes with visible hand-stitched sole seams.

EVOLUTION

Archive of past and present iterations of the Handsewn Classics.

VEGETABLE TANNED LEATHER

Pair of tan natural leather high-top handmade sneakers with lace-up fronts on a neutral background.
Pair of tan leather high-top handmade sneakers with lace-up fronts on a neutral backdrop.
Pair of black leather high-top handmade shoes with laces and natural gum soles.
Pair of tan natural leather FEIT low-top sneakers with leather laces on neutral backdrop.
Pair of tan leather FEIT handmade low-top sneakers with leather laces, angled front view.
Pair of black leather FEIT low-top sneakers with lace-up fronts and natural gum soles.

SEMI-CORDOVAN

Pair of cream leather high-top handmade sneakers with lace-up fronts and natural gum soles.
Pair of olive-grey leather high-top handmade shoes with lace-up fronts and leather soles.
Pair of white leather FEIT sneakers with lace-up fronts and natural gum soles.
Pair of FEIT handmade leather low-top sneakers in taupe with matching leather laces.

SELECTION OF SUEDES

Cream suede FEIT high-top handmade sneakers with white soles on a neutral backdrop.
Pair of FEIT dark navy suede high-top sneakers with leather laces and gum soles.
Tan suede FEIT high-top handmade shoes with leather laces and dark brown soles.
FEIT handmade cream suede low-top sneakers with leather laces and white rubber soles.
Pair of charcoal suede FEIT low-top sneakers with black soles and leather laces.
Tan suede FEIT low-top sneakers with leather laces and dark brown hand-welted soles.

CRACKED

Pair of black cracked-leather FEIT high-top sneaker boots with laces and tan leather soles.
Pair of black cracked-leather FEIT low-top sneakers with black laces and leather soles.

2014

Heel view of black and white handmade leather high-top shoes on stitched soles.

BICOLOR

An original style endlessly copied.

White leather FEIT slip-on shoes with black heel counters and natural rubber soles.
Pair of white leather FEIT low-top sneakers with black heel and natural rubber sole.
White leather high-top sneakers with black heel counters and natural leather soles.
Pair of navy leather FEIT slip-on loafers with white heel accent and leather soles.
Pair of navy leather FEIT sneakers with white heels and tan leather soles.
Pair of black leather high-top sneakers with white heel panels and gum soles.

2016

Close-up of two cream suede handmade shoes showing hand-stitched heels and FEIT insoles.

SUPERHIGH

Tallest one seam upper ever made.

Pair of cream suede FEIT high-top sneakers with white soles and long laces.
Pair of black suede FEIT high-top sneakers with leather laces and tan leather soles.
Pair of teal blue suede FEIT high-top sneakers with black laces and rubber soles.
Pair of black leather handmade high-top boots with shearling lining on a neutral background.

2017

Close-up of tan leather handmade shoes with shearling lining, white laces and soles.

TRIPLE WRAP

Chunky version of the Handsewn Low

Tan leather FEIT low-top sneakers with shearling lining and white soles on a pale background.
Pair of FEIT black leather handmade sneakers with shearling lining and leather soles.

2020

Heel detail of black leather FEIT sneakers with hand-stitched branding and white soles.

"FEIT" HANDSEWN LOW

Handsewn Low with exterior branding.

Pair of FEIT white leather low-top handmade sneakers with cream laces on a neutral backdrop.
Pair of black leather FEIT handmade sneakers with white rubber soles on a neutral background.

2020

Close-up of cream and black leather FEIT sneakers with platform soles on neutral backdrop.

COLLAPSABLE BICOLOR

2020 Evolution of the Original style

Pair of black leather FEIT mule slippers with cream heel and leather sole.
Black leather backless lace-up sneaker mules with cream heel panels and gum soles.

2021—UNISEX EVOLVED CLASSIC