The name (boat shoe or deck shoe or shoe sailing are three conditions under which it is so popular in Greece) and also suggests that summer is close. A shoe that is made to be worn aboard a boat or a yacht.
The story of a deck
The story of the boat shoe begins somewhere in the early '30s and has more to do with the materials used in decks rather than fashion. Paul Speri, used to work at Abercrombie & Fitch had bought a small boat and used once in a while, they set sail and went to sea. As soon as the deck is exposed to water, became so slippery as a frozen lake. The sneakers that he wore secured at (cramming) the return journey the character of the "nightmare". When he turned back to port, passed through a layer of emery deck. And went again to the sea. Not at all slippery anymore, but the surface had become like sandpaper. He could come in contact with it only with the sneakers. If he touched with any other part of his body, immediately rewarded with a bitter galling.
The sailors at that period of time often wore espadrilles. The rope secured that it will not slide the deck when it's raining, but ... made them quite slippery when the deck was dry. And their style does not fit to his style. It was much more sporty. So, he began experimenting with the sneakers. He tryed all kinds of soles that existed in those years, but nothing seems to made a difference. One day he noticed that his dog, a cocker spaniel, who called "Prince" is not ever slid on the wet deck and then he noted the paws. They had small grooves in different directions. So, he designed a more geometric, but similar herringbone shape and "press" in a sole made from kaoutsouk. He sold the patent in Converse, and that was how the ''Boat shoe'' born in 1935 (or at least the sole).
The sailors at that period of time often wore espadrilles. The rope secured that it will not slide the deck when it's raining, but ... made them quite slippery when the deck was dry. And their style does not fit to his style. It was much more sporty. So, he began experimenting with the sneakers. He tryed all kinds of soles that existed in those years, but nothing seems to made a difference. One day he noticed that his dog, a cocker spaniel, who called "Prince" is not ever slid on the wet deck and then he noted the paws. They had small grooves in different directions. So, he designed a more geometric, but similar herringbone shape and "press" in a sole made from kaoutsouk. He sold the patent in Converse, and that was how the ''Boat shoe'' born in 1935 (or at least the sole).
It's all about marketing
The next step that Speri did, was to convince the world that his own shoes were the best for this job. He wrote 100 letters by hand and sent to each of the members of one of the most prestigious gentlemen's clubs of America, the Cruising Club of America. When Mr. Vanderbilt asked for lots of couples around the crew of the yacht, the first lines of the history of the shoe had been written.
But Speri didn't stop there. He knew he would not make a huge commercial hit only from the wealthy boat owners. He had to find a way to turn to the whole world. Two years later the U.S. enter at the WWII in 1939, he persuaded the Navy to sign a contract with him for the manufacture of shoes sailors. The attack on Pearl Harbor meant that now the boat shoe would pass away from tens of thousands of young people. And that, once the war ended, it was worn everywhere-not just at sea-.
But Speri didn't stop there. He knew he would not make a huge commercial hit only from the wealthy boat owners. He had to find a way to turn to the whole world. Two years later the U.S. enter at the WWII in 1939, he persuaded the Navy to sign a contract with him for the manufacture of shoes sailors. The attack on Pearl Harbor meant that now the boat shoe would pass away from tens of thousands of young people. And that, once the war ended, it was worn everywhere-not just at sea-.
Dictionnaire
Source by: www.mensguide.gr
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