Life-saving shoes by Brighton fashion student
Posted by Katy Cowan in News on Friday 6th May 2011. Tagged with Brighton, straw shoes, Fashion.
University of Brighton fashion student Sophia Messina has created
straw shoes based on footwear that helped save the life of her
grandfather on the Russian front during World War Two.
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Tens of thousands of troops died in the freezing conditions during
Operation Barbarossa but Italian veteran Angelo Messina survived the
cold by cladding his feet and stuffing his clothes with straw.
The remnants of the Italian Army, which fought alongside the invading Germans, was eventually evacuated back to Italy.
Now, 70 years later, he has inspired his granddaughter for her
collection at the Burt Brill and Cardens graduate show at the Faculty
of Arts in Grand Parade, Brighton. The shoes will grace the catwalk
there on 4 June and at the students’ London fashion show at the Candid
Arts Trust on 9 June.plastic injection molding
Sophia, who graduates this year with an undergraduate Masters of Design in Fashion with Business Studies, interviewed her grandfather before designing the clothes.
Sophia, 23 and from Surrey, said: “Soldiers layered their garments
and built straw shoes to elevate their frostbitten feet from the snowy
terrain. Many filled the linings of their jackets with newspapers and
wrapped blankets around them like shawls, all in an attempt to stay
warm.” Her 90-year-old grandfather, also from Surrey, said: “My
memories of my days as a soldier are of freezing conditions, hunger and
the horror of people dying around me.plastic injection mold manufacturer
“I am proud of my granddaughter for bringing my story to light
through her designs. My ordeal has never left me throughout my life
and, even though the war was 70 years ago, I still remember every
detail vividly.”plastic injection mold maker
Sophia said of the shoes: “I’m proud of my grandfather and grateful to him for helping me. Working with straw is hard on the hands – but,New or used chocolate machinery and complete chocolate production machinery lines. as I have discovered, it can certainly keep your feet warm.”
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