Shoes have become a symbol of fast fashion excess, but even the most frenzied of fashionistas now know that there are many good reasons to apply Slow Life principles to your footwear.
Comfort, longevity and style are qualities we all want in our shoes, and a new breed of shoemakers are proving that it’s slower, more sustainable manufacturing methods that yield the most desirable results.
Until fairly recently, shoes were considered an ‘investment purchase’ to be made only once or twice a year, then kept in good condition with regular cleaning and repairs. But now you can buy a fashionable pair of shoes for £20, footwear is has crept steadily into ‘impulse buy’ territory.
With impulse comes regret, and with regret comes waste. And at such low prices, one can expect little in the way of quality. In the rare event of finding a cheap shoe that doesn’t look flimsy and badly-made, you can be sure it won’t last for long and may even cause damage or discomfort to your feet.
My own shoe obsession is well documented, and people will generally expect me to be into throwaway fast fashion as a result. I won’t pretend I haven’t been lured by a great-looking bargain in the past, and I’ve got the remnants of countless broken heels to prove it. But I’ve since learned the error of my ways at least in part thanks to Beyond Skin.
Beyond Skin was established as a handmade, vegan footwear label for those with a sense of style, and its shoes continue to be made on small production lines. Because the shoes are not mass-produced, the attention to detail in the products is exceptional, and each season now brings a new crop of styles from the brand.
While each new style gives a nod to current trends, there’s far more of a focus on timeless and highly wearable shoes, so while you’ll be paying for the quality (a pair of heels averages around £100), there’s no need to fret about your chosen look going out of style as can be the case with designer shoes at a similar price point. And that’s part of the Beyond Skin ethos: lasting style that won’t end up in a binliner in your next spring clean!
