A philosophical take on functional footwear from Turriff
As it feels like we’re being bombarded by massive marketing campaigns from the multi-billion footwear market on a daily basis it was rather refreshing to hear from Andrew Turriff. Born in Vancouver his background involves studying shoemaking and footwear design in London before turning down a job with Kanye and adidas in favour of working in a podiatry clinic for five years. Which was where he identified a need for the footwear world to really up its game. Whether it’s boots that favour fashion over functionality or the type of trainers that will offer high performance but get thrown away after a couple of races, he’s on a mission to provide an alternative. He believes we can make footwear that compliments our modern active lifestyle and promotes healthy feet and bodies whilst also minimising our environmental impact by creating versatile footwear that lasts.
During his time spent working in the clinic Andrew noticed that even the shoes that were marketed as “healthy” or “orthopaedic” often sacrificed fit, comfort, and natural foot movement for aesthetics. Observing that many brands would rely on marketing and “innovative technology” rather than the conventional podiatry principles to sell their products. The result being a market filled with narrow, overly cushioned shoes that offer temporary relief but fail to address underlying foot issues or empower the wearer to heal their foot and overall physical health. Whilst on the flipside rigid boots designed for a hard day’s graft or hiking can inhibit feet when rigidly encased. As your feet are at their best when free to splay, grip and stabilise which in turn helps our whole body’s alignment and posture.
All this hands-on research pointed Andrew in the direction of barefoot footwear which he found revelatory. Discovering that it heightened awareness of his gait, and the impact he’d been placing on his joints with other types of footwear. Discovering that rather than using his muscles for support and cushion, he’d been relying on his shoes and joints to take a lot of the daily impact. Barefoot footwear revitalised his movement and strengthened his intrinsic muscles by restoring fluidity and mobility to his daily life.
Somewhat evangelised and after gaining loads of expert knowledge Andrew set about creating his own take on a barefoot shoe with a manifesto that states: ‘Footwear should be versatile and adaptive to our ever-changing world and our ever-changing lifestyle. It should be made from real materials that last and move well with your feet. It should be made in a way that can be repaired. By prioritising function, comfort, materials, sustainability and versatility, shoes can truly be a functional, beautiful tool that enhances our lives and allows us to move freely and comfortably, without compromise.’
And so the Turriff Footwear brand was born with the website being recently launched and footwear becoming available later this month. Hand crafted (in El Salvador) on a zero drop wide toe, anatomical comfort fit last. These unique natural fit shoes have been created using premium all-leather uppers to create a breathable, durable and naturally weatherproof shoe that can easily be re-crafted or re-soled. Additional details include an extra lightweight leather insole, midsole and heel with a premium kip leather lining, a gusseted tongue, military spec elastic shock cord lacing, an unstructured toe box, slim 6mm EVA midsole cushion and a Vibram Megalug #7132 outsole. So sign up to the Turriff Footwear mailing list HERE to find out when these beautiful barefoot shoes will be available to buy.
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