For some patrons, the exhibition may evoke recollections of being fitted for their first pair of school shoes on a somewhat cold metal measuring device. For others, the displays of immaculate Wallabee shoes and desert-style footwear may recall teenage obsessions with American hip-hop or Britpop movements.
Nostalgic moments will also flood back for numerous local people whose families made Clarks shoes for generations, as the box-fresh Shoemakers Museum welcomes visitors in the English village of Street.
The collections manager noted that some guests may be astonished at how far this very British brand, which is marking its 200th year in 2025, spread across the world. “At home, the company is often linked with children’s footwear, but among fans across the world it’s perceived in distinctly unique ways,” she stated.
Dozens of pairs of shoes are exhibited, with some showcases resembling bright, modern pieces of contemporary art. She revealed that a significant number were kept in archives: “One of the major tasks we’ve had while creating the museum is essentially selecting the items to showcase? Which narratives do we want to share? Because there is an overwhelming amount.”
Fans of hip-hop and the TV series Breaking Bad are likely to hot-foot it to the displays of the iconic shoes, created in the 1960s, and inspired by the moccasin.
The this style was initially seen as too unconventional in Britain but proved hugely successful in the United States and was adopted by members of the NYC hip-hop band the renowned collective, who wore them, rapped about them, and included them in album covers.
More recently, Wallabees had a featured role in the opening scene of Breaking Bad when Walter White, the chemistry teacher turned illicit drug super-cook, sported a pair, together with comical white briefs.
Another highlight of the exhibit is its account of the Desert Boot, inspired by the travels of a Clarks relative to Burma and India during the second world war. They became a favourite of the 1960s subculture in the Britain and were also adopted enthusiastically by the famous brothers.
Clarks’ Quaker originators may have been surprised that their brand became such a popular choice among stars.
The inaugural exhibit in the museum is a simple pair of house shoes made from scraps of a woolen mat around the early 19th century. The museum details how the business quickly expanded into one of the most important in the English West Country, and how the founders did philanthropic deeds in Somerset and beyond.
A family descendant, head of the trust that conserves and shares the Clarks story, explained the business flourished because of its Quaker roots. “One of the Quaker testimonies is truth, and that means that you’re very honest in all your dealings,” she added. “Everyone trusted them. The household made some profit through the venture. This allowed them to become philanthropic and work for votes for women. They were involved in the abolition movement against enslavement in the United States.”
Tim Crumplin said his preferred section of the exhibition was a collection of equipment from the Desert Boot production line, which was based at the Bushacre factory. The factory closed a 25 years ago and the footwear are now produced in the far east.
He commented: “The majority of the workers that worked on that production line worked there for decades.” An employee was called after the ballet dancer because he moved so quickly and gracefully between the two stations he operated. “The employees were so proficient at what they did.”
If the casual shoes and boots will appeal to enthusiasts, lovely recreations of Clarks retail stores will bring back nostalgia for a broader range of people.
Rosie Martin observed: “In my view, people will be able to see their own stories in the exhibit. Visitors will remember having their feet measured on the device so that their initial footwear were properly sized. It was a ritual, a rite of passage.”
One of the cases features her child’s first shoe, with a instant photo of her in the shop. “I treasure that,” Martin said. “It opens up a box of memories.”
