visvim's Hiroki Nakamura Discusses the Importance of the Moccasin and FBT

The elusive Hiroki Nakamura of the Japanese label visvim has come out with a first-person account of the importance of classic moccasins and how they’ve influenced visvim’s iconic FBT. For many, the FBT is what springs to mind when thinking of visvim and Nakamura discusses how an appreciation for the traditional, slipper-like shoes worn by Native Americans has evolved to become the epitome of long-lasting, stylish footwear.

Hiroki describes how different aspects of the FBT developed, such as the removable fringe, which was born from the mixture of raw appearances of Native American moccasins and the idea of making the shoe versatile. Check out some excerpts of the discussion below and head here for the full read, while the latest visvim products can be purchased at its online store.

Despite the seemingly primitive construction, these shoes are highly utilitarian, and helped Native Americans keep their feet from freezing during the harsh North American winters. The ankle flaps seen on some moccasins that at first glance seem superfluous can actually be flipped up and wrapped around the ankle for additional warmth. For tribes living in the coldest regions, rabbit fur or sheep skin was added as an insular lining. Although moccasins do not possess typical outsoles, tribes that lived in desert areas often used thick pieces of hardened leather on the bottom of their moccasins to protect from rocks or cacti, while tribes located near forested areas were able to wear soft-soled moccasins for use on the primarily grassy terrain.

At the age of 17, I was discovering the same functional benefits and beauty in the shoes that Native Americans had worn for centuries before me. They were unlike any shoes I had ever worn before: an upper that covered the foot and wrapped around the whole outsole area, made from natural tanned elk leather that was incredibly soft and well-aged from years of wear. This particular pair that I was wearing were already modified for city life with an add-on rubber outsole; like the plains and desert dwelling Native Americans who had added an extra layer of hard leather to the bottom of their moccasins, I had learned that a rubber sole is an absolute necessity for someone living in an urban environment.

There was a great deal of excitement when the FBT was released over ten years ago, but my team and I have never stopped trying to improve upon the original design. While the outward appearance of the shoe – a leather moccasin-inspired upper with a removable fringe, combined with a sneaker outsole – has not changed, many of the materials have been upgraded. The midsole is now made from polyurethane and the outsoles for certain models are custom made by Vibram. Pigment-free, natural tanned leather uppers are used to make sure that the material does not irritate one’s feet, while a natural cork insole molds to the wearer’s foot over time. Feet, and by extension, shoes, bear more of a daily burden than any other part of the body, so it is crucial that anything that touches the feet should be made of extremely breathable, natural materials.