Learning from the social lives of shoes: A cultural approach to sustainability

This article explores how an understanding of the social lives of iconic shoes can inform more culturally, socially and ecologically sustainable practices in the fashion and footwear industry. Through a case study of the Desert Boot and associated Clarks Originals styles, the research revisits Arjun Appadurai’s classic ‘social lives of things’ methodology and Igor Kopytoff’s concept of object biographies to reveal how shoes acquire cultural value and meaning through their trajectories across different contexts. Drawing on ethnographic research conducted at Clarks’ headquarters and with wearers of the Clarks Originals styles, the study demonstrates how deep engagement with the social lives of shoes can lead to more authentic, meaningful and sustainable design and marketing practices. The research reveals three key findings: first, that products acquire enduring cultural value through both intended paths and unexpected diversions which depend, in part, on their material qualities; second, that storytelling through carefully considered collaborations enables a shift from cultural appropriation to meaningful cultural exchange and innovation and, third, that the acquisition of cultural and social capital through practice is essential for developing culturally relevant, authentic and sustainable products and strategies. These insights suggest that sustainability in fashion requires more than ethical and environmentally friendly materials and production processes – it requires understanding how products become culturally valuable and how this understanding can be embodied within organizations to create more meaningful and longer-lasting connections between brands, products, people and culture.