Who Invented Shoes

The invention of shoes can be linked back to past civilizations and to our ancestors who needed protecting covering for their feet during harsh winters or while climbing rocky terrains. So if you wonder 'why were shoes invented', then the answer lies in the fact that necessity is the mother of invention. Our ancestors covered themselves with clothing made of animal skin, grass and other materials, however, there was no such clothing for the feet.

Since thousands of years ago, man had no suitable means of transport and so while walking long distances, the feet was prone to get hurt or injured. To safeguard the feet, sandals were invented and as time advanced, sandals evolved as shoes. Various researches suggest that the signs of first footwear that resembled shoes were found in Spanish caves some 15000 years ago.

These drawings suggest men who have tied their feet with animal and fur skins around their feet. Some figures suggest grass padding and papyrus leaves trapped around the feet. This all possibly hint that our ancestors were the first inventors of shoes. As per researches suggest, tracking the first shoe that was made is very difficult as in every civilization, various forms and types of shoes were manufactured.

Invention of the Shoe

The earliest shoes were made of various type of bark, leaves and rawhide. The first shoes in history generally were divided into two categories, the sandals and moccasins. While sandals were made for wearing in warmer regions and during summers, moccasins offered more protection to the feet. The primitive shoemakers tried to improve the grip of shoes in the feet by punching holes around the shoes so that it can be easily tied with laces.

As times progressed, there has been drastic changes in the trends and designs of shoes. During the medieval times, shoes for men became longer and pointed toward the toe as it was thought to symbolize higher status in the society. Women however wore ankle shoes and that was fitted with side laces. By 15th century, shoemakers started making higher heels for women's shoes. While ladies shoes started to be manufactured in different styles and the popularity of "Oxford boots" worn by Oxford students grew rapidly, men's shoes also became very popular. In the 17th century, trendy and stylish shoes became a fashion statement for royal families. Nowadays, wedding shoes also form an important part of wedding apparel.

With technological advancements in the shoe making machinery, leather soles in shoes were easily made. As technology took the driving seat, shoe manufacturing became a professional business and cobblers saw a decline in their works. The lengthy and time-consuming methods of cobblers could be addressed in few minutes and that is why the invention of sewing machine was seen as a great development.

While the Dutch are believed to be have introduced the bulky leg boots, the English made comfortable shoes that was easy to wear and remove. Russia is known for contributing the trend of women's walking boot and the first men's hiking boot. These boots were called Alpine boots for helping the Alpine climbers who used these shoes while climbing the mountains.

Since the last two centuries, shoes have transformed into one of the crucial accessories of fashion lovers. Various iconic companies like Bata, Nike, Reebok and Adidas have become immensely popular for their brands and quality products. Innovation and style, both have reached great heights in shoe manufacturing units.

There are nowadays athletic shoes that are engineered in such a way as to meet the requirements of runners and trainers. From providing comfort to the feet, shoes have moved on to become fashion status symbol. Now we know about people who were behind the invention of shoes. They were some of our ancestors who conceptualized the idea of making shoes and today shoe manufacturing has become a big industry.