Moccasin

Style of shoe. Over time, it is the model that has enjoyed the most abiding success. It was first used by the Native Indians of North America as an extremely flexible leather sole that was raised at the sides, laterally binding the foot. It was, and still is, the most comfortable shoe to wear. The shape is made with stitching around the heel, the front section is made with a piece of leather called a vamp, or insert. The moccasin is constructed in the opposite way to other shoes, in which the upper covers the toes, instep and heel, then comes down to the sole, where it is fixed. There is also an assembled model, or “fake moccasin,” made in the normal way with upper attached to the insole. The tubular model, on the other hand, can be made without an outer sole, without an inner sole, or without both: the sole is made of an upper and lining joined together, or perhaps by an upper alone. This type is for summer wear, without socks, and for this reason is sometimes referred to as “Capri style.” The history of this type of footwear is also linked to its popularity with students: during the 1920s, it was almost the emblem of American university students. During the 1960s, Italian youths only wore college blue and burgundy on their feet, often with a penny inserted in the toe cap. In contrast, moccasins in beaten leather, with a more robust feel, were popular with yuppies during the 1980s. Long established moccasin brands include Quintè of Milan, and Gucci, who launched the gilt version. In the 1990s, Tod’s revived the driving moccasin, with rubber caps on the sole.