Shoes Have Names
Sept -Oct 2020
London Craft Week
Exhibition collaboration Shelter Charity X Jo Cope - 10 shoe designers x 10 homeless stories
Shelter Boutique, Coal Drops Yard, London
The exhibition aims to raise awareness of the thousands of people tackling evictions, poor housing conditions, landlord issues and homelessness. But Shelter gives hope. With the right support and by working together, people can fight bad housing and make a positive change. The exhibition is also working towards removing a stigma around homelessness. These very personal examples of a homeless experience highlight the many ‘faces’ of homelessness, and the reality of the issue being so close to home.
Each shoe or pair of shoes created by the designers are named after the person who’s been supported by Shelter. The designers have been asked to create a unique design reflecting the stories of the individuals using the materials they are most comfortable using from their current design specialisms.
The show has a dominating/striking red aesthetic– Jo Cope explains; ‘there is an emergency, there is a housing crisis, it is a call to action, that is what the red is about’.
Jo Cope, artist and exhibition producer, said: “Shoes Have Names aims to use fashion as a positive vehicle to create greater public awareness of homelessness. It also celebrates the amazing work of Shelter. This year, as the pandemic took hold and more and more people found themselves facing their own housing crisis, Shelter’s services have never been more vital. I believe fashion can play an evolving role in society. This project uses shoes as an empathetic vessel, bringing together a highly talented community of designers to create shoes which tell real life stories of people who have faced homelessness. Fashion's role in society is changing; this fashion project reflects the need for ethical shifts in the fashion industry towards something more human-centered. Naming shoes after real people supported by Shelter is a way of giving these people back their place in society and a positive identity, which can sometimes be lost by the blanket term 'homeless’.
Contributing artists:
Kobi Levi, Elisabeth Thorsen, Kristina Walsh, Liz Ciokajlo, Tabitha Ringwood, Daniel Charkow, Dr Ellen Sampson, Caroline Groves, Jana Zornik, Jackie Leggett
