Before Hush Puppies Shoes revolutionised the footwear market in 1958 with their super-soft comfort sole and the forgiving stretch of pigskin suede, there were no casual shoes for adults.
Needed to mow your lawn, wash your car, clean the garage? Slip into an old pair of hard, sweaty, worn-in wingtips or oxfords. Yes, that’s right, before Hush Puppies hit the market, guys wore their old dress shoes for all their household chores.
Hush Puppies founder Victor Krause used a tanning process that his footwear company, Wolverine World Wide, utilised during the Korean War. His product? The classic suede oxford shoe.
Those first Hush Puppies were such a hit that one in ten adults slipped the pups onto their feet. The classic beige slip-on expanded to create shoes for the whole family, and a whole range of colours and styles.
Hush Puppies became more popular than ever when an early 90’s campaign reintroduced the shoe for the trendy market. Now there were sandals, loafers, sneakers, and even boots to add to the comfort collection.
Nothing was as cool and casual as the colourful Hush Puppies, and feet were never so soothed.
