ICONIC FOOTWEAR

The origin of these 10 shoes is hard to believe

Image: Martin Adams

Literally anchoring us firmly to the ground, footwear has always been important in shaping culture and society. From ancient civilizations to modern fashion runways, shoes not only helped humanity reach further horizons but also became symbols of wealth, empowerment, or hipness.

Join us as we walk through the annals of time to explore 10 pairs of shoes that made a lasting imprint on the world.

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In 2008, archaeologists made a remarkable discovery in a cave in Armenia—the Areni-1 shoe, dating back to around 3500 BCE. Crafted from only one piece of leather hide and laced on the top with leather straps, this ancient footwear provides a window into the lives of our distant ancestors. Even more surprisingly, its manufacture is very similar to that of the traditional shoes used today in the Balkans in some festivities!

Image: Camila Damásio

Also known as the Chuck Taylor All-Stars, the iconic sneakers were first introduced in 1917, intended as a basketball shoe that would provide more flexibility and prevent blisters. In 1922, American basketball legend Chuck Taylor approached Converse and offered to redesign the shoe to improve its support and flexibility for professional players. The gamble turned out great, and by the 1960s, the company had captured almost 80% of the basketball shoe market.

Image: Kris Atomic

Named after an Italian dagger for their thin high heels, stilettos took the fashion world by storm after being popularized by French designers Roger Vivier and André Perugia in the 1950s. Afterward, their popularity endured, standing the test of time. With its slender design, the stiletto became synonymous with power, sophistication, and high fashion, coveted by celebrities and fashion icons worldwide.

Image: Paul Volkmer

Nike's Air Jordan sneakers were initially made for basketball legend Michael Jordan in 1984, during his time with the Chicago Bulls. Released to the public a year later, they forever changed the landscape of athletic footwear. Combining cutting-edge technology with street-style aesthetics, Air Jordans became a cultural phenomenon, even luring collectors worldwide into acquiring special editions of the sneakers.

The league's rules stated that shoes had to be at least 51% white, so the NBA fined Michael Jordan $5,000 every time he wore his Air Jordan shoes during their debut year. Nike capitalized on this, allegedly paying the fines for Mike and using the ban as the basis for a marketing campaign. The rest, as they say, is history.

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Originally designed for workers in the late 1940s, Dr. Martens boots surprisingly evolved into a symbol of counterculture and rebellion, becoming strongly associated with the punk subculture. Over the years, the sturdy boots have garnered a cult following that transcends genres and fashion styles, with some notable customers including Pope John Paul II and the Dalai Lama.

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Present in many cultures since ancient times, platform shoes were often designed simply to keep wearers’ feet dry in soggy ground or mud. In some cases, they were used by performers to stand out better during plays. However, it wasn’t until the 1970s that this type of footwear reached worldwide popularity, when they were embraced by disco culture and worn by both men and women.

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Originally worn by workers in rural Europe, clogs have evolved from humble footwear to cultural icons. Built from a single piece of wood, these sturdy yet functional shoes are as good for farm work as they are for making bold fashion statements. Many makers continue to use the same traditions and craftsmanship of countless past generations, linking past and present through their iconic frame.

Image: Sarah Cervantes

A staple of classical ballet, the pointe shoe symbolizes grace, strength, and discipline. Designed to support dancers when performing pointe work (standing on the tips of their toes), these iconic shoes have been perfected over centuries, allowing ballerinas to defy gravity for longer and effortlessly move with elegance in complex choreographies.

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Originating from the Pyrenees in the 14th century, espadrilles have stood the test of time as a versatile and comfortable footwear option. With their distinctive jute soles and canvas upper, espadrilles are not only functional but can also be quite sophisticated. This deceptively simple footwear was loved by the likes of Picasso, John F. Kennedy, and Yves Saint Laurent.

Image: Nathan Dumlao

Whether you love them or not, Crocs have become a popular choice in casual footwear since their introduction in 2002. Inspired by traditional wooden clogs and known for their lightweight design and iconic perforated holes, Crocs are made with comfort and practicality in mind. Though most people disliked their appearance at first, they eventually garnered a dedicated following, even drawing many celebrities to the fandom.

Discover 10 ways fruits and vegetables evolved over time

Have you ever seen a wild tomato plant? Or, for example, have you ever found a watermelon lying around while hiking in nature? Probably not, and that's because many of the fruits and vegetables we eat every day are actually the result of human intervention. Long before microscopes or modern labs, early farmers patiently cultivated and domesticated wild plants, transforming them into the tasty, colorful, and juicy produce we are fortunate to enjoy today. If you would like to learn about the ancestors of your favorite fruits and vegetables, keep reading!

The carrot’s journey is less about sudden leaps and more about quiet persistence. Long ago, what grew underground was pale and stringy, closer to a wild weed than a vegetable. Farmers began to notice small differences—one root with a hint of sweetness, another with a faint wash of color—and held on to the seeds for the next season. After countless rounds of planting and patience, the root slowly changed shape and character. From those fragile beginnings came the crisp, orange carrots that now symbolize healthy eating around the world.

The name gives away its past. Early varieties of eggplant often looked like eggs—round, white, and sometimes speckled yellow. Others were squat and thorny, hardly inviting to harvest. As the plant traveled from India across Asia and into Europe, it evolved. Farmers in each region favored different traits, nudging its size, flavor, and color in new directions. Centuries later, the odd little fruits had been reinvented as the glossy purple globes that now fill market shelves, a far cry from their humble, egg-like beginnings.

Few crops show human intervention as clearly as the banana. Its wild ancestors were filled with large, stony seeds, making them far from snack-friendly. At some point, farmers stumbled upon rare hybrids that produced softer, sweeter fruit with fewer seeds. Instead of letting chance decide, they took control—propagating the plant by cuttings so its desirable traits could be preserved. That decision reshaped the banana forever. Today’s Cavendish, cloned endlessly from those early discoveries, feels less like an accident of nature and more like a fruit designed for our hands.

Long before they became the stars of spaghetti sauce or the perfect partner for mozzarella, tomatoes were tiny things no larger than peas. In their wild state, they grew in South America as small, hard, sour fruits, usually yellow or green in color. Hardly resembling the juicy red fruits we pile onto burgers today. But farmers saw potential in those little berries. By saving and replanting the plumpest and tastiest ones, they gradually transformed the tomato into a whole family of varieties: from sweet little cherry tomatoes to the hefty beefsteaks that can fill an entire sandwich. Every slice we eat traces back to that humble, pea-sized ancestor.

The first watermelons weren’t sweet at all. In the deserts of ancient Egypt, they were valued as natural canteens—hard, pale-green shells holding bitter but lifesaving water. For centuries, that was enough. Then farmers noticed that some fruits had a hint of sweetness. By saving those seeds, harvest after harvest, they slowly achieved a juicier, brighter flesh. Bitterness faded, red pulp emerged, and the survival fruit became a symbol of summer pleasure, shared in chilled slices at family tables and picnics.

Papayas are great: big, hearty, sweet. But you might not believe what they were like centuries ago. Their story begins humbly, with berries no bigger than plums growing wild in the tropics. Around 4,000 years ago, the Maya civilization recognized their promise. Season after season, they saved seeds from plants that offered sweeter flesh and sturdier growth. Gently but surely, the fruit started to stretch beyond its original possibilities. What was once small and unremarkable became the luscious, generous, and golden-orange fruit we all love today.

The story of corn begins not with golden fields but with teosinte, a scraggly grass with finger-sized ears and just a few rock-hard kernels. By no means a feast, more like survival food. Yet early farmers in Central America saw promise. They saved seeds from plants with plumper grains, season after season. Over time, the ears lengthened, kernels softened, and the wild grass transformed. What began as meager and tough became modern corn: sweet, versatile, and so abundant that it now sustains people, animals, and industries worldwide.

Peaches weren’t always the lush, blushing fruits we sink our teeth into today. In their earliest form, they were tiny—no bigger than cherries—with thick pits and only a whisper of edible flesh. But in ancient China, patient farmers looked past their modest size. They saved the trees that bore slightly sweeter, fuller fruit, slowly bending nature toward abundance. What emerged over centuries was a transformation so complete that peaches became almost unrecognizable: velvety skins, golden flesh, and juice that drips down your chin.

Avocados weren’t always bound to our kitchens and brunch plates. In fact, their very survival once depended on creatures that no longer walk the Earth. Millions of years ago, giant sloths and other prehistoric beasts gulped them down whole, massive seed and all, scattering future trees in their wake. When those colossal gardeners went extinct, the avocado seemed doomed. Yet humans noticed the fruit’s potential. By planting, tending, and selectively nurturing trees, they carried the species forward. Over time, those efforts smoothed out the avocado’s rough edges, turning a wild, fibrous oddity into the buttery green treasure we now mash, slice, and spread with delight.

The first pumpkins were far from festive. Early farmers had to look beyond those small, bitter berries with thick skins to find something worth growing. Over generations of careful selection, they transformed green, largely inedible gourds into the versatile and tasty produce we enjoy today. And that’s not all! Pumpkins also became icons of harvest and tradition—carved, baked, and piled high as bright emblems of autumn.