Explore the Lore of Alternative Shoe Icons
Step away from the ordinary and find out the inner goss about your favourite shoe brands!
Filled with mystery and always with some hidden gems, your favourite alternative shoe brands don't just offer you amazing footwear, they also have fantastic lore to learn! Let's take a look at a few little secrets you can learn about your favourite brands!
1- Many Brands are Vegan Friendly!
A little secret....Brands like Pleaser and Demonia use high-quality synthetic materials that are great for looking like leather without the guilt! Offering a wide range of vegan-friendly styles, these brands have ranges that include synthetic suede, leather, and animal skin!
Why is this surprising, you ask? Well, high quality footwear is very often associated with real leather, but by catering to ethical fashion needs without compromising on great styles, these brands are also able to open up a wider world of fashion choice for stylish individuals!
Fun Fact: Demonia's vegan line was inspired by the incredible demand from gothic and punk communities for more eco-friendly options!
2- Gothic Footwear: More Than Just Style—It’s a Lifestyle!
The secrets of brands like New Rock is that they don't just look tough, they're built tough! With steel-reinforced soles and weatherproof materials, these shoes are durable enough for all your alternative needs!
Surprised? Don't be! While many people would see the awesome designs and think they are purely aesthetic, you can't rest easy that they are practical and perfectly usable!
Fun Fact: These rugged shoes were originally designed for motorcycle riders, which explains their durability and tough design!
3- Pleaser Shoes Dominate the Pole Dance Market on and off the Pole!
Pleaser's little secret is not just their ability to constantly anticipate new style trends, but that they did not actually start as a pole dance shoe brand! In fact, the combination of functional style and durability made them a high-need item for performers worldwide!
Surprised? You wouldn't be the only one! Many are surprised to find out that the brand's style origins can be traced back to mainstream fashion before taking the leap into the niche space of the Pole dancer market.
Fun Fact: The brand's clear platform high heels developed into the iconic favourite they are today after being utilized in pole dance competitions and music videos!
4- Hidden Comforts in Alternative Shoes
With bold designs, it's easy to assume that alternative footwear might focus on looks over comfort! However, you will find that many shoes hide secret features that help to make them easy to wear, such as padded insoles and lightweight materials!
A lot of customers are shocked by this, since they often assume that the brands prioritize appearance over comfort. But this shouldn't really be a surprise, since these shoes are made to be worn and loved, and no one loves a sore foot!
Fun Fact: Some gothic boots have superb gel insoles as a now to the massive customer base of people who spend hours on their feet at concerts!
5- The Historical Roots of Platform Shoes
A sexy little secrets, platform shoes aren't just a trendy addition to your look, they actually date all the way back to the 15th century when they were functionally worn to protect from dirty streets as a status symbol!
It might come as a surprise to you that there is a massive history behind this awesome style, with the shoes originally worn mainly by men!
Fun Fact: Platform style boots and shoes made a bug come-back stylistically in the 1970's as a form of self expression during the rise of disco culture!
6- Subcultures Shape Alternative Shoe Designs
A wonderful secret of the industry is that brands like Demonia are heavily influenced by the iconic subcultures including punk, cyberpunk, goth, steampunk, and more!
This may be a surprise to many mainstream footwear lovers, as people often assume that these shoes are fashion forward and groundbreaking, but in fact they are influenced by underground subcultures and movements!
Fun fact: If the day, steel-toe boots that are popular in punk fashion are even more punk thanks to their original roots of being recycled from surplus military gear!
7- Small Details, Big Differences
Many alternative footwear brands have stunning little secrets in their designs, but Demonia certainly knows how to make a big splash for special occasions by tailoring many of their styles with thoughtful features such as UV-reactive materials for ravers and much more! Some styles even offer removable elements for further customisation!
Why It's Surprising? Often overlooked by customers, these little details enhance the appeal of these cool shoes!
Fun Fact: These shoes is that Demonia's UV-reactive styles initially gained popularity in the 90's rave scene, and remain a favourite today!
8- Handmade Shoes Never Disappoint
Something that only true fans and aficionados would know is that brands like New Rock and occasionally other brands offer their customers the chance to grab hand made alternative shoes! Ensuring unique finishes and exceptional quality, these high-quality hand made shoes are a fantastic opportunity to wear great shoes and support a cool brand!
Surprised? You aren't alone! Many customers are thrilled but shocked to find out that in a world of mass-produced items that prioritise quality over quantity, handmade craftsmanship and exclusivity are still available!
Fun Fact: For anyone wondering, handmade boots often take the artist weeks to craft, with traditional methods being passed down over generations.
9- Alternative Brands offer Gender-Inclusive Options
Catering to anyone who loves footwear means that most brands such as Pleaser or Demonia are actually very gender inclusive and love to offer styles for every body to love! With extended sizing in lots of styles up to a women's 16US or a men's 14US, these brands are accessible and fun!
Why It's Surprising? This little secrets gem of information might be a surprise after years of assuming that bold styles are limited to normative sizing, but these brands break the mould!
Fun Fact: Unisex sizing was first popularized in the alternative footwear world to accommodate the growing demand from drag performers for sexy, comfortable styles in men's sizing!
10- A Favourite Among Cosplayers
With shoes that capture the playfulness of characters like witches, pirates, and even Victorian characters, brands like Funtasma are very popular for cosplayers looking for costume-focused designs.
Why It's Surprising? Having a costume-based focus could be a little surprising for some customers, but this often-considered niche footwear fashion area has a broad appeal in the fabuous cosplay world.
Fun fact: Funtasma's famous pirate boots were modeled after historical footwear, which makes them a hit for Renaissance fairs and cosplay events alike!
11- Platforms Provide Functional Stability
A cheeky little secret that makes brands like Pleaser and Demonia even more lovable is that they engineer their modern platform shoes with wider bases and cushioned soles for comfort, support, and stability. Bold designs with a better balance and comfort level is the best way to ensure customer enjoyment!
What makes this attention to detail surprising is that many people associate platforms with difficulty walking, but these designs are surprisingly very practical for both daily wear and long events.
Fun fact about platforms, they were historically worn by Venetian courtesans as a way to enhance their stature, further proving that platforms have always been a statement making style! If you're new to platforms, enjoy a little pro tip and check out our guide on How to Walk in Platform Boots for expert advice on mastering walking in the edgy shoes with ease!
12- Many Brands Utilise Recycled Materials
A secret that should be shouted from the rooftops, it is a delight to know that alternative brands such as Koi Footwear and Doc Martens Vegan Line proudly utilise recycled materials for the soles and uppers in some of their collections!
This can be surprising for shoe lovers to hear, as the growth of sustainable practices in edgy fashion has been a steady incline as eco-consciousness becomes synonymous with great design!
A fun tidbit about brands using recycled materials is that Koi Footwear takes this even further by also using recycled packaging and promoting a circular economy through encouragement for customers to recycle their old shoes!
13- Flame Resistant Boots are Truly Punk
A little known fact is that some Gothic and punk footwear brands like New Rock includes flame resistant materials in their boots for added durability and safety for customers.
Surprised? You wouldn't be the only one! But this shouldn't be the most shocking revelation, especially since these boots were originally designed for motorcycle riders to keep them safe on their bikes. Now, these awesome features help cater to the needs of outdoor adventurers and festival goers!
A fun fact about these flame resistant Boots is that they are crafted using proprietary steel technology, also making them weatherproof and perfect for wild conditions! If you're curious about the legacy of New Rock, you can learn more in our blog Who is New Rock? and discover all the things that make them a massively stand out brand for Gothic and punk footwear!
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