We Need to Kill the Shoelace

WE NEED TO KILL WE NEED TO KILLauthor: Patrick DeCrescenzo models: Patrick DeCrescenzo & Virginia Thior photographer: Elise Anstey layout: Natalie Conte the shoelace

On September 18, Kanye West tweeted that he seeks to “make sure all shoes have no laces” and “look natural”. He has put this to action through the release of the new slip-on Yeezy Foam Runner. But what is so “natural” about no laces? If anything, a shoe without laces may seem unnatural, as our culture has become acclimated to using them since the shoestring was patented in 1790. Yet, what makes a shoelace better than other closure systems like zippers, straps, or magnets? We don’t use shoelaces because they are better, but rather because we have latched onto conformity rather than innovation. In fact, they are inferior to their counterparts because they don’t include everyone. In 2012, Matthew Walzer was preparing for college. Like any student in the same position, he was both excited and anxious. You might remember being nervous to move to a new place or make new friends. For Walzer, the biggest concern was how he would tie his shoes. Shoelaces were not made with someone like Walzer in mind. He has Cerebral Palsy, only having flexibility in one hand. He wrote to Nike to tell them about his “dream”: “to go to the college of [his] choice without having to worry about someone coming to tie [his] shoes every day.” Walzer’s letter ended up in the hands of Nike designer Tobie Hatfield, who then began working on prototypes with him to accommodate his needs. By 2015, Nike FlyEase was born. FlyEase provides accessible closure systems for Nike footwear so everyone can wear sneakers independently. FlyEase replaces shoelaces with wrap-around zipper functions on models like 2015’s Lebron Zoom Soldier FlyEase or most recently, a collapsible heel on 2020’s Air Max 90 FlyEase. With FlyEase, Nike has adapted classic models to make them accessible for all.

As someone with a disability, I understand Matthew Walzer’s struggle. I’m 20 years old and I still struggle tying my shoes. I appreciate Nike’s efforts toward inclusive design, but I don’t understand why shoes that are accessible are treated as a separate entity from shoes for able-bodied people. Straps and zippers are more convenient for everyone. They simply make getting shoes on easier and faster. There is no reason why they shouldn’t be universally integrated into all footwear. I want to wear the same shoes as my able-bodied peers. Maybe Kanye West has a point. The shoelace serves no innovative purpose; we are just holding onto it because we are so accustomed to shoelaces. It is definitely not the most “natural” option, as it disregards what is many people’s natural human body. It is time to kill the shoelace.