Alex’s Chicago Sneakers

What is the origin of your shoes?

These Rag and Bone leather sneakers were bought while my husband and I were visiting Chicago for his friend’s wedding in 2017. They were the most money I had spent on a pair of shoes at the time. Chicago is a significant place in our relationship. I am British, and he is Australian; we first met while I was backpacking in Melbourne in 2003. After I left Australia, we lost touch for 10 years. In 2013, we reconnected on LinkedIn to discover we would both be visiting Chicago on the same weekend, just three weeks later (me for work and he visiting his friend). When we met up, it was as though no time had passed. We remained in contact for a year before I moved to Australia in 2015. We married in 2016 and now have two beautiful children together.

What have they done?

It took me a little while to feel comfortable wearing these shoes as the metallic was quite daring for me. I would often wear them at work as a fashion lecturer, but once they grew shabby, I wore them casually.

What do they signify?

It wasn’t until I wrote this reflection that I recognised the significance of these shoes, given when and where they were purchased. Beyond being the place where we re-met, our trip to Chicago in 2017 was special for two more reasons. First, we received an upgrade to business class on my husband’s Qantas points (I still wear the free pyjamas, much to my husband's amusement, who regularly asks where we’re flying to each night). I was also 20 weeks pregnant with our first child, Evie. I remember the flight attendant noticing my growing bump and being the first to risk acknowledging it! This was a huge milestone. I was in my mid-thirties when Steve and I rekindled our relationship, and for many years, I had wondered if I would ever have the chance to become a mother.

What did/do you love about them?

I loved the gunmetal finish, which, as someone who can be quite self-conscious, I felt was a safe metallic. As they have aged, I have loved how parts of the metallic finish have rubbed away to reveal the leather beneath, adding character to the materials.

Is there anything you dislike about them?

While the metallic finish is my favourite feature, paradoxically, it is also the thing I hate. As a footwear researcher, I know the toxins and environmental tolls of leather like this. It is partly this fact that has motivated me to ensure the shoes have a prolonged and useful afterlife.

What did you construct from them and why?

I often wear clothes with no pockets, so I need a pouch to carry my phone and work pass. Because my phone is quite heavy, I find most straps cut into the back of my neck. I loved constructing these into a pouch, and with Pennies' help, discovered that the inner lining and back of the shoe would serve as padding to protect my neck. The leather feels comfortable against my skin, and the notch that originally accommodated my Achilles tendon fits perfectly around the top of my cervical vertebra. The internal elastic strapping made a perfect internal pocket.