Shearling Footwear?

Fur-lined sneakers from Boemos. Not sure what animal skin was used, but it must have been young. Fox?
Rabbit? Young lamb? The fur was soft, the suede equally so, but also thin and delicate, as if it would tear easily.

Shearling for the feet. I think this is one of the ultimate superficially superfluous extrinsic material luxuries one can indulge in. Never have I ever worn anything so soft and smooth on my (bare) feet. It's like people who claim silk undergarments are amazing. But unlike silk underwear, shearling is utilitarian: it keeps your feet warm and toasty, and if you live in subzero temperatures during colder seasons, it may even be a necessity.

While shearling refers specifically to sheep and lamb skin, fur-lined shoes are not new. The Inuit people of Northern Canada and Arctic regions have worn boots and moccasins made of a variety of animal skins such as sealskin, and tough caribou and moose hides to fend off the frigid weather for centuries—hell, most of the Inuit attire revolved around animals skins.

Much like the Inuit, the indigenous peoples of the Himalayas rely heavily on fur-based garb during winter to survive the cold. It's documented that Tibetan fur boots were decorated colourfully to match their equally vibrant outfits, which incorporated stones and beads of various hues, intricate embroidery and weaves, and other ornamental drapery on top of their sheepskin cloaks. One could argue that Tibetans pioneered shearling boots into fashion, or at least gave them life on top of their utilitarian value.

In Russia, peasants and soldiers alike donned knee-high shearling boots to keep frost-biting Russian winters at bay, where temperatures can dip below even -50°C. It's funny to see how shearling, now a fanciful luxury, was viewed back in the mid-1800s, as recorded in Bentley's Miscellany: 

"There is no doubt that the skins of animals, whether of sheep or buffalo, or more valuable furs, are great preservatives against wet and cold, but they are cumbersome, unsightly, difficult to dry, apt to get dirty and harbour vermin, and in the way in action or any other emergency."

And of Russian soldiers:

"The Russian troops wear sheepskins in winter, merely because they cannot afford better... Boots lined with sheepskin, made large so as to cover the trousers, and reaching up to the knees, are also commonly worn in Russia during winter."

The old-timey English literary magazine goes on to describe the entirety of what Russian troops wore, which today would be considered just about the most extravagant winter attire anyone could ever wear: head to toe in shearling, fox fur, buckskin, and buffalo hide, among an assortment of available mammalian skins and fur. Of course the point is to be warm, and in the scheme of laborious military work, it's no wonder animal skins weren't all that attractive. But I digress. My focus is on footwear.

The rich fur in these Boemos sneakers was long and thick, like an extra layer of socks. I never tried these on because I simply have no interest in fur-lined sneakers, at least not this style. I would've preferred a chunky athletic trainer.

It was these Italy-based Boemos All-Star-esque style high-tops that prompted me to think a simple "what?" They're at Winners in Downtown Vancouver, which, of late, has gotten some funky gear. But fur sneakers? Really? Shit, alright... Not a pervasive brand at all, a quick Google search shows that YOOX tops the first four results as the main purveyor of Boemos, with no indication of the brand's independent presence. Without any meaningful research, my only guess is that Boemos is a wholesaler and maybe manufactures for other well-known brands like, say, Common Projects or Greats' Italian-made line of shoes. Eleventy has a similar sneaker for ladies in their Fall/Winter 2017 line. I didn't think I would see fur-lined anything outside luxury retailers like Holt Renfrew, Leone, or Haven, so to see them so casually displayed at an off-price retailer surprised me.

Stefano Gamba real shearling sneaker boots ZX246. I originally thought they were from Rick Owens due to its simple black and white aesthetic—I wasn't far off, Though the price difference between them was about 10 times. These I've tried several times, and felt amazing on my feet. Originally seen at Winners Downtown Vancouver, Marshalls has several pairs in varying sizes, which excited me. I would love to get these, but another pair of shoes had my undivided attention.

John Fluevog "Ace Face" derby. I first saw this online on the Fluevog website and was curious about the nature of the "shearling" wrapped around the quarter. The sales associate at the Granville St. Fluevog told me it was real shearling, but the Gastown Fluevog told me it was synthetic... it felt like acrylic to her. She also pointed out that John Fluevog no longer uses shearling or any fur in any of their shoes, so it's more than likely it is synthetic. I haven't touched enough shearling to know the difference (yet), but upon further inspection there is noticeable stitching between the "fur" and the leather where they attach to each other.

Simons' in-house Le 31 iteration of the shearling high-top. I don't like the leather patch on the counter (heel). I know it reinforces a stress point, but it looks like a design flaw to me; should have kept the entire shoe camel sheepskin. It reminds me of Jeremy Scott's adidas Teddy Bear sneakers.

From Moncler, the aptly named "Vancouver" boot made from tan sheepskin shearling. Simple, timeless design with the right amount of ruggedess. It's chunky, but somehow still maintains a slender silhouette. The exposed but neatly trimmed shearling running up the quarter is just chic enough while preserving said ruggedness. The Vancouver boot is the quintessential Vancouver winter boot, if Vancouverites have CAD$650 casually lying around.

From Prada at Hold Renfrew. Left: haircalf and kid leather ankle boot; right: calf leather tasselled loafer with Alpine goat fur. Probably the most gratuitous use of fur I've seen... it's fashion, OK? Get with it!

Fur (and shearling) is a delicate subject. There's no doubt that the fur trade is cruel to animals, especially if they are young. Probably the cruellest of all is the harvesting of karakul pelts. The younger the lamb the more prised its pelt. That's all I'll say...

Nope, I was wrong. This is the most gratuitous use of fur, relatively speaking. On sandals? It serves no functional purpose. At CA$1,255 this screams "I have too much money to burn!" Wear this around the house as a house sandal? Around the pool? Slip on to throw out the trash? Go grocery shopping? However you wear this, just please don't drag your feet. Actually, just don't drag your feet.

Gucci leaves me speechless. I don't know how I feel about these "Princetown" slippers, which run between CAD$1,000 to CAD$1,200.. The fur serves literally no function but to say "I'm f-ckin' loaded". I believe kangaroo fur was used until recently, when Gucci decided to ban fur from future collections starting in Spring 2018. These are lamb shearling, I think. I think they are unreserved and tasteless. Something about the fur being right at the sole of the slipper... it's like it's being stepped on even if indirectly... It is symbolically undignified.

Gucci recently denounced the use of fur, and will cease (barring shearling, I think...?) beginning with their Spring 2018 collection. While Gucci is not the first designer brand to go fur-less, they certainly made a big splash about it in a PR move to court a new, younger millennial audience. The fabled Italian brand's second coming occurred in 2015 when Alessandro Michele—who introduced the world to the Princetown slipper—was promoted to creative director. Not since Tom Ford's tenure at Gucci, who is credited for being its saving grace in 1994, has the fashion house seen a revitalised and distinct, legacy-worthy identity.

Marco Bizzarri, Gucci's president and chief executive officer, is responsible for promoting Michele and rebooting the brand, doesn't think fur is "modern" anymore. It's not that Bazzarri doesn't have a point, I just think it sounds too shallow a reason to suddenly give up fur. Animal cruelty aside, fur is expensive and holds a stuffy image, even if those who wear fur nowadays are self-proclaimed "influencers" (ugh...) and no longer sultry women enrobed in giant mink coats and fox fur shawls of old (except you, defiant Yves Solomon). "New" fur is more subtle, relatively speaking, used as a lining or trim like many of the footwear featured in this post, or in parkas like those from Mr & Mrs Italy and Alessandro Sqarzi's AS65.

Seen in the wild. Christian Louboutin, everyone. This "Snow Black Flat" boot costs CAD$3,600.
Those silvery grey plumes are fox fur. This is hubris manifested.

I have mixed feelings about fur—please indulge me a moment. If one is to lambast fur sellers and fur wearers, then one must also direct that criticism to leather. Because what is fur, really? Fur is leather with the hair fibres still attached. So why the brouhaha about fur?

It's not just leather and fur, however. The down collected from ducks and geese have similar horrific practices, though arguably worse because the waterfowl are often alive when their down is harvested. That is because they will regrow their down for future harvest, and will continue until the "life cycle" of the bird has run its course, likely for their meat or livers.

The outrage must be equal.

I can't denounce the fashion industry's use of shearling or fur, because I own two shearling coats. I can't denounce the fashion industry's use of leather because I own an abundant leather products. I can't denounce the fashion industry's use of down because I own down-filled outerwear.

The other day I was at the Fairmont Hotel Vancouver for work, and I passed by the Dior boutique, and in one of their display windows I saw this fur jacket. I immediately gravitated toward it with lust, if even only for a moment. My co-worker countered and said I would look better in the Dan Witz all-over printed bomber, and she isn't incorrect, but to me, there is something alluring about fur; it's romantic, it's raw, it's regal, it's elegantly aggressive, and most of all, fur is beautiful.

Yes, more so while it's still on the animal from which it belongs.

Is there a difference between the Moncler Vancouver boot, and the Louboutin Snow Black Flat boot? Of course. It's the ostentatious use of fox fur in the latter that puts form before function. It serves for the sake of vanity and nothing more, whereas the Vancouver boot is all about function. When we look back at the Inuit, or the Russian troops who used animal skins and furs as a way of life and to survive their environment, do we fault them? No, we don't. With technology today and synthetic substitutes like polyester, nylon, and acrylic, animal fur doesn't necessarily need to exist in fashion, and that seems to be the trend slowly being adopted until it becomes eventually the industry norm. But it will never truly go away. Purists will always want fur and will find a way to acquire it.