Philosophical strolls

“All truly great thoughts are conceived while walking” – it wasn’t me who said this, but Friedrich Nietzsche, a 19th-century German philosopher with a passion for what we’d now call “hiking”. Even before Nietzsche, Aristotle was known to teach his disciples while strolling under the colonnades of the sanctuary dedicated to Apollo that housed his school.

Naturally, it prompts you to wonder about the relationship these great minds had with their footwear. What kind of ideas might the ancient Greek philosopher have come up with if he’d swapped his pedilon (an early form of sandal) for some lace-ups? And would Nietzsche have felt more spiritual if, instead of his rigid 19th-century shoes, he could have stepped into some comfy sneakers?

This little mental exercise led me to ponder the extent to which the “containers” we interact with daily (be they physical, social, ethical or emotional) shape our thoughts, actions and feelings. Clothes (shoes included) aren’t just a “wrapping”. They’re the closest thing to our skin and our identity. They protect us, conceal us and, at the same time, present us to others. Sometimes, they even assign us a recognisable “role”. At the same time, what we wear sets our mood. It can make us feel right at home or completely out of place, graceful or clumsy. Inevitably, it affects our vibe, our ability to enjoy the moment and to focus on what’s around us. After a fair few years in fashion, I’ve learned that a truly successful item of clothing (or shoe model) is one that catches the eye of those around you while being so comfortable that you forget you’re even wearing it.

So, while I’m no Aristotle or Nietzsche, I’ve constructed my own little philosophy that blends aesthetics and comfort, aiming to bring delight to every step and an opportunity for fresh, meaningful thoughts to every stroll.

I’ll leave it up to you to decide whether I might be onto something? 😉

Until next week!
Marco ❤️