Footwear

Sperry Invented the Classic ‘Boat Shoe’

One man’s slip is another man’s spark. 

sperry

In 1935, while out sailing on an estuary just north of Long Island, New York, Paul Sperry slipped on the deck of his boat in the middle of the night. He saved himself from falling overboard by grabbing a rope, but the experienced made him question the entire purpose of footwear. 

He set to developed shoes with non-slip soles, and these formed the foundation of the world’s very first boat shoe, under his namesake brand, Sperry. 

The boat shoe was absorbed into American history and the effervescent Prep subculture grew around it, progressing from Ivy League through various reformations, some wilder than others, each placing their own spin on it. All of Prep’s guises, however, share one thing: love for the boat shoe. 

Sperry have re-released their classic 1935 non-slip boat shoe, with the 2-eye lug presented in four new colourways.

Head to Pockets to have a gander. 

  • sperry
  • Sperry have re-released their classic 1935 non-slip boat shoe, with the 2-eye lug presented in four new colourways.
  • Sperry have re-released their classic 1935 non-slip boat shoe, with the 2-eye lug presented in four new colourways.

Sperry at Pockets.

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