Kung Fu Shoes

Timeline label

Kung Fu Shoes

Image caption

Women's kung fu shoes in a shop in a market in Haikou, Hainan, China

The 1980’s saw the rise of the “Kung Fu Shoe” or “China Flats”. The shoe is similar to mary janes, but they have some stylistic differences and are not typically made of a leather material. The shoes generally had a very thin rubber bottom with no arch support, and the top material was made of an equally flimsy cotton or velvet. They were imported from China and could be found in most boutiques and department stores in the tri-state area with New York City selling the most due to its rapidly growing Chinese immigrant population. Furthermore, the influence of New York City fashion trends caused the shoe to gain recognition around most parts of the country.

1980年代，“功夫鞋”（又称“中国平底鞋”）开始流行。鞋子与玛丽·简（Mary jane）的鞋子相似，但它们的款式有所不同，通常不是皮革制成的。鞋子通常很薄，对脚没有帮助，鞋头是由稀薄的棉或天鹅绒材料制成的。这些鞋子是从中国进口的，可以在纽约附近各州的大小商店中找到。 由于快速增长的中国移民人口，大多数在纽约市购买。此外，纽约市时尚的影响使这双鞋在美国各地流行起来。

Timeline date

1980

Type

Photograph

Medium

Rubber, Faux Velvet, Polyester, and Nickle

Creator

Unknown

Contributor

Anna Frodesiak