Quantcast

Sole of a nation: how Clarks became Jamaica’s favourite footwear

CarmenBella

Wu Tang is for the Children
Joined
Sep 16, 2016
Messages
18,486
Reaction score
Reactions
110,173 10,712 16,963
106,212
Alleybux
4,000

Sole of a nation: how Clarks became Jamaica’s favourite footwear

There has long been a unique connection between the Somerset-based shoe-maker and the Caribbean island. It goes way beyond shoes - as a new edition of book Clarks in Jamaica demonstrates

2560.jpg

Junior Reid, Ranking Dread and Jah Stitch all wearing Clarks. Composite: Beth Lesser; Roger Cracknell; Mark Read

Lauren Cochrane
Tue 11 May 2021 01.01 EDT

The reggae producer Bunny Lee said: “Clarks stand the test of time inna Jamaica. All the other shoes come and bow down at Clarks’ foot.” DJ Trinity said in the 70s that you couldn’t get a girlfriend if you didn’t wear Clarks. And the dancehall star Vybz Kartel dedicated no fewer than three hit songs to the shoes. Clarks might be associated with schoolchildren in the UK, but they have also been the shoe of choice for Jamaican men for nearly 70 years.


Nitty Gritty wearing Hoverveldt Glider Clarks, with diamond socks, circa 1986.

Nitty Gritty wearing Hoverveldt Glider Clarks, with diamond socks, circa 1986. Photograph: Carlos Harriott/Greensleeves Archive

Al Fingers has spent time studying the history of how this happened. A updated edition of his book Clarks in Jamaica has just been published and it’s exhaustive, with detail about different models likely to appeal to even the most clued-up enthusiast. The 2021 edition is even more of a deep dive than 2012. “[For the first edition] I wasn’t so familiar with all the styles of Clarks that people were wearing, so a lot of them I missed,” says Fingers. “I expanded it to show the lesser-known Clarks and also tell the history of certain styles.”

The phenomenon of Clarks in Jamaica is about a lot more than footwear – it tells the story of the relationship between the island and the UK over 100 years. The shoes can be traced back to the colonial era. Clarks were sold in the 20s, and seen as aspirational shoes because they came from Britain. “There were two main stores, next door to each other on King Street in Kingston. Nathans and Issas, both upmarket stores,” says Fingers. “They were the only stockists and would have amazing window displays. To a lot of Jamaicans, King Street was the main shopping street.” The shops first sold women’s and children’s shoes, before the men’s desert boot arrived in 1949. The popularity was a slow burn but by 1970, hundreds of pairs were sold in Jamaica every week and annual Clarks sales in the country were £100,000.

Locally made Desert Treks in the red, gold and green of the Rastafarian flag

Locally made Desert Treks in the red, gold and green of the Rastafarian flag Photograph: © Mark Read

The impact of the Windrush generation can be seen here, too. About 200,000 people emigrated from Jamaica to the UK between 1955 and 1968. This community, and also Jamaicans in the US, would take the shoes back on visits, or send them to family and friends. One story in Fingers’ book details a coffin-maker in Miami who would import coffins into Jamaica and fill them with Clarks. After Michael Manley was elected as Jamaica’s prime minister in 1972 and banned imports of foreign footwear, this system was ramped up.

Jamaicans would make the trip to Street, the small Somerset town where Clarks has factory shops. Fingers quotes the producer Ossie Thomas, who describes the experience as “a pilgrimage”.

“You would be amazed with how many shoes have entered Jamaica from Jamaicans buying them in outlet stores in the UK – thousands,” says Fingers. “Records would come from Jamaica, you would sell the records, buy Clarks, string vests and diamond [argyle] socks, all the other things that were here. The whole Clarks thing is very caught up in the music industry, they’re all connected.”

King Jammy’s soundsystem is loaded on to a truck by young men wearing Clarks.

King Jammy’s soundsystem is loaded on to a truck by young men wearing Clarks. Photograph: Beth Lesser

While the sound of reggae has evolved over time, the shoes have been a consistent element of its style. A spread in Fingers’ book shows record covers by artists including Barrington Levy and Augustus Pablo, with all the artists wearing Clarks, while another spread is jam-packed with a list of songs with lyrics that feature the shoes, from 1976 to 2020.

Koffee wearing Clarks Desert Treks, 2019.

Koffee wearing Clarks Desert Treks, 2019. Photograph: Ciesay & Soulz
In the 70s and 80s, wearing Clarks might have caused young men to be targeted by the Jamaican police, because the shoes were associated with the so-called rude boys. These days, they are worn by politicians. In his election campaign in 2020, Andrew Holness, the country’s prime minister, conspicuously wore Clarks, holding them in the air at public appearances. “Can you imagine Boris Johnson doing [something like] that?” says Fingers. He explains it was a direct way for Holness to reach a specific demographic. “[DJ] Ninjaman said, they aren’t a bad man shoe, they’re a garrison shoe … Garrisons are the poorer part of town, and garrison people love Clarks the most.”

 
Last edited:

CarmenBella

Wu Tang is for the Children
Joined
Sep 16, 2016
Messages
18,486
Reaction score
Reactions
110,173 10,712 16,963
106,212
Alleybux
4,000
How are you from Jamaica but hate black people. Tsk


I am not Jamaican, my husband is Jamaican.

I am Cuban, my great grandmother is Jamaican, that is why my family was allowed to go to Jamaica when we left Cuba. That is why Jamaica will always have a special place in my heart.

I came out of a beautiful dark skinned black Cuban woman. How could I hate myself?

I will wait for your evidence that I hate black people. I assume that you have evidence since you made that accusatory statement.

I will wait....

gYdkmHp.gif


IS THE CUBAN FLAG IN MY SIGNATURE INVISIBLE! HOW COULD YOU NOT KNOW THAT I AM CUBAN?
 
Last edited:

Sunshine5678

In His Bag
Joined
Dec 23, 2018
Messages
2,159
Reaction score
Reactions
30,342 1,109 381
35,038
Alleybux
156,658
Damn, this is not what I expected coming in here lol.

Anyway, this just reminded me to order a new pair for fall.
 

HoneyPotTrap

The Quintessential Trap Baby | Album Drops 2024
OLDHEAD
Joined
Dec 1, 2005
Messages
33,439
Reaction score
Reactions
96,761 7,182 2,909
97,126
Alleybux
542,836

Sole of a nation: how Clarks became Jamaica’s favourite footwear

There has long been a unique connection between the Somerset-based shoe-maker and the Caribbean island. It goes way beyond shoes - as a new edition of book Clarks in Jamaica demonstrates

View attachment 2557079
Junior Reid, Ranking Dread and Jah Stitch all wearing Clarks. Composite: Beth Lesser; Roger Cracknell; Mark Read

Lauren Cochrane
Tue 11 May 2021 01.01 EDT

The reggae producer Bunny Lee said: “Clarks stand the test of time inna Jamaica. All the other shoes come and bow down at Clarks’ foot.” DJ Trinity said in the 70s that you couldn’t get a girlfriend if you didn’t wear Clarks. And the dancehall star Vybz Kartel dedicated no fewer than three hit songs to the shoes. Clarks might be associated with schoolchildren in the UK, but they have also been the shoe of choice for Jamaican men for nearly 70 years.


Nitty Gritty wearing Hoverveldt Glider Clarks, with diamond socks, circa 1986.

Nitty Gritty wearing Hoverveldt Glider Clarks, with diamond socks, circa 1986. Photograph: Carlos Harriott/Greensleeves Archive

Al Fingers has spent time studying the history of how this happened. A updated edition of his book Clarks in Jamaica has just been published and it’s exhaustive, with detail about different models likely to appeal to even the most clued-up enthusiast. The 2021 edition is even more of a deep dive than 2012. “[For the first edition] I wasn’t so familiar with all the styles of Clarks that people were wearing, so a lot of them I missed,” says Fingers. “I expanded it to show the lesser-known Clarks and also tell the history of certain styles.”

The phenomenon of Clarks in Jamaica is about a lot more than footwear – it tells the story of the relationship between the island and the UK over 100 years. The shoes can be traced back to the colonial era. Clarks were sold in the 20s, and seen as aspirational shoes because they came from Britain. “There were two main stores, next door to each other on King Street in Kingston. Nathans and Issas, both upmarket stores,” says Fingers. “They were the only stockists and would have amazing window displays. To a lot of Jamaicans, King Street was the main shopping street.” The shops first sold women’s and children’s shoes, before the men’s desert boot arrived in 1949. The popularity was a slow burn but by 1970, hundreds of pairs were sold in Jamaica every week and annual Clarks sales in the country were £100,000.

Locally made Desert Treks in the red, gold and green of the Rastafarian flag

Locally made Desert Treks in the red, gold and green of the Rastafarian flag Photograph: © Mark Read

The impact of the Windrush generation can be seen here, too. About 200,000 people emigrated from Jamaica to the UK between 1955 and 1968. This community, and also Jamaicans in the US, would take the shoes back on visits, or send them to family and friends. One story in Fingers’ book details a coffin-maker in Miami who would import coffins into Jamaica and fill them with Clarks. After Michael Manley was elected as Jamaica’s prime minister in 1972 and banned imports of foreign footwear, this system was ramped up.

Jamaicans would make the trip to Street, the small Somerset town where Clarks has factory shops. Fingers quotes the producer Ossie Thomas, who describes the experience as “a pilgrimage”.

“You would be amazed with how many shoes have entered Jamaica from Jamaicans buying them in outlet stores in the UK – thousands,” says Fingers. “Records would come from Jamaica, you would sell the records, buy Clarks, string vests and diamond [argyle] socks, all the other things that were here. The whole Clarks thing is very caught up in the music industry, they’re all connected.”

King Jammy’s soundsystem is loaded on to a truck by young men wearing Clarks.

King Jammy’s soundsystem is loaded on to a truck by young men wearing Clarks. Photograph: Beth Lesser

While the sound of reggae has evolved over time, the shoes have been a consistent element of its style. A spread in Fingers’ book shows record covers by artists including Barrington Levy and Augustus Pablo, with all the artists wearing Clarks, while another spread is jam-packed with a list of songs with lyrics that feature the shoes, from 1976 to 2020.

Koffee wearing Clarks Desert Treks, 2019.

Koffee wearing Clarks Desert Treks, 2019. Photograph: Ciesay & Soulz
In the 70s and 80s, wearing Clarks might have caused young men to be targeted by the Jamaican police, because the shoes were associated with the so-called rude boys. These days, they are worn by politicians. In his election campaign in 2020, Andrew Holness, the country’s prime minister, conspicuously wore Clarks, holding them in the air at public appearances. “Can you imagine Boris Johnson doing [something like] that?” says Fingers. He explains it was a direct way for Holness to reach a specific demographic. “[DJ] Ninjaman said, they aren’t a bad man shoe, they’re a garrison shoe … Garrisons are the poorer part of town, and garrison people love Clarks the most.”

They have ergonomic shoes. I have purchased many pairs of Clarks. They are great work shoes, especially if you have to stand up a lot.
 

gillyweed0945

General Manager
Joined
Jan 11, 2017
Messages
3,014
Reaction score
Reactions
17,729 1,457 1,243
17,278
Alleybux
432,627
OP doesn't hate black people, wtf?

These shoes look stylish on them, not like hipsters in Brooklyn.

I had no clue about the history of these shoes.
 

wolverine00

fierce&dramatic
Joined
Sep 24, 2019
Messages
3,980
Reaction score
Reactions
17,724 934 651
20,906
Alleybux
452,206
i am not jamaican but i love my clark’s in the fall. i have a few flavors. top tier fall foot.
 

MarcATL

General Manager
Joined
Oct 14, 2016
Messages
4,636
Reaction score
Reactions
22,214 792 780
23,795
Alleybux
5,479
Clarks are definitely a Jamaican thing, but they're also quite popular in other British islands.
My Bermudian breddrin were also quite fond of Clarks.
Me being from a non-British island, didn't quite get the fascination.
Still don't, but the stereo-typical Jamaican loves them to death.
They're not bad looking shoes though.
 

May Flowers

Team Owner
Joined
Feb 18, 2013
Messages
14,797
Reaction score
Reactions
312,514 9,448 972
340,274
Alleybux
150,500
I have a pair of Clark's suede wedge booties like this...

81u7CRjJGWL._AC_UL1500_.jpg


...and let me tell you that's the MOST comfortable pair of shoes I own. I love them so much.
 

HoneyPotTrap

The Quintessential Trap Baby | Album Drops 2024
OLDHEAD
Joined
Dec 1, 2005
Messages
33,439
Reaction score
Reactions
96,761 7,182 2,909
97,126
Alleybux
542,836
I have a pair of Clark's suede wedge booties like this...

81u7CRjJGWL._AC_UL1500_.jpg


...and let me tell you that's the MOST comfortable pair of shoes I own. I love them so much.
It seems that all the styles I've ordered or bought from them are discontinued. But they always come out with a similar style. I have a pair of their leather tennis shoes. You could stand 24 hours in them. They are worn out, now. LOL.

I've had 2 versions of their mary janes.

I still have the last pair of dress pumps I bought from them, but I wore them so much I had to get the insole replaced, which takes away from it being a 'Clarks' shoe. But the shoes still look new. I went and got it restored, polished, and buffed. I've gotten a lot of compliments on them.

I have a pair of their boots I bought 2 winters ago. I barely wore them this winter because I barely went outside.

When Rack Room Shoes stopped carrying the ergonomic brand that I gravitated to the most (their SoftShoe brand), I started purchasing Clarks.

Edit: I found a style similar to the first pair of Clarks that I purchased. I got may compliments on that pair, too. The seam on the toe part was positioned differently on mine, and the heel was rounder.
26144342_W_10
 
Last edited:

Selah

selah tape
Joined
Apr 6, 2011
Messages
27,034
Reaction score
Reactions
88,841 2,917 1,422
91,830
Alleybux
8,500
 

Ms. A

Team Owner
Joined
Mar 29, 2016
Messages
5,310
Reaction score
Reactions
70,255 917 308
73,192
Alleybux
311,473
My father loves Clarks. We always get them gir him and ship it down.They hold a special place in Jamaican culture.
 

CarmenBella

Wu Tang is for the Children
Joined
Sep 16, 2016
Messages
18,486
Reaction score
Reactions
110,173 10,712 16,963
106,212
Alleybux
4,000
https://www.lipstickalley.com/threads/carmenbella-what’s-up-musty-b!tch.2249157/page-11
https://www.lipstickalley.com/threads/carmenbella-what’s-up-musty-b!tch.2249157/page-11
So you are a sheep.

I am still waiting for you to tell me what I have said that was racist.

This would require you to use critical thinking skills.

I will wait.
 

Stella32

General Manager
Joined
Jul 30, 2016
Messages
1,153
Reaction score
Reactions
7,593 334 32
8,834
Alleybux
88,773
My father loves Clarks. We always get them gir him and ship it down.They hold a special place in Jamaican culture.
My father is the same way too. I never understood why he always asked for them, now I know. I read this article at work last week.
 

LoLu10Plus

Laughter is the best medicine.
Joined
Nov 1, 2018
Messages
5,430
Reaction score
Reactions
41,680 873 192
42,733
Alleybux
9,000
All I have to say is I’m still sad I missed out on the special release Jamaican Clarks this year. But my dark brown desert Clarks do me just fine.
 

Zar33

General Manager
Joined
Sep 20, 2020
Messages
3,791
Reaction score
Reactions
42,870 2,166 1,569
43,565
Alleybux
639,303
I am not Jamaican, my husband is Jamaican.

I am Cuban, my great grandmother is Jamaican, that is why my family was allowed to go to Jamaica when we left Cuba. That is why Jamaica will always have a special place in my heart.

I came out of a beautiful dark skinned black Cuban woman. How could I hate myself?

I will wait for your evidence that I hate black people. I assume that you have evidence since you made that accusatory statement.

I will wait....

gYdkmHp.gif


IS THE CUBAN FLAG IN MY SIGNATURE INVISIBLE! HOW COULD YOU NOT KNOW THAT I AM CUBAN?
Love this! I have a direct Cuba-JA connection as well.
 

AayJay

Starter
Joined
Mar 26, 2020
Messages
225
Reaction score
Reactions
1,383 43 122
1,261
Alleybux
61,562
I didn’t know this was a thing until I mentioned to my Jamaican brother-in-law that I was buying some Clark’s. He asked me if I was secretly Jamaican. LOL.
 

JustBaanter

I may be joking
Joined
Jul 6, 2018
Messages
661
Reaction score
Reactions
4,625 280 55
4,604
Alleybux
176,679
I'm British born and wore Clarks to school and people used to diss them. It's funny to me how they've been big in Jamaica so long. I might get a pair when I go back tho lol
 

Trending Threads

News Alley

Ask LSA

The Lounge

General Alley

Top Bottom