w9is
10-04-2007, 05:44 PM
Thongs - saving the world again
amie Duncan
October 05, 2007 12:00am
THONGS were among the earliest footwear used by humans. A modern rubber incarnation helped expand Japan's post-World War II economy.
And there was a time in Australia when thongs were only seen at the beach and backyard barbies - a combination as solidly Aussie as meat pie and sauce.
These days, the humble thong is also a highly fashionable accessory that is good enough for the office, for socialising, and for the celebrity set, as a bejewelled red carpet showstopper.
Now supermodel Gisele Bundchen is the latest to latch on to the thong and promote her own stylish brand, which she launched in Melbourne this week.
The Japanese and the ancient Egyptians are both credited with being the first cultures to devise the thong - a v-shaped loop through a flat timber sole.
In Japan, the wooden thong is worn by as diverse characters as the weighty sumo wrestlers and delicate geisha girls.
The idea caught on. Today, thongs are the world's biggest-selling footwear.
Manufacturers in the Japanese city of Kobe perfected the rubber thong in the 1930s - based on ancient wooden or woven designs, but made with low cost materials and equipment.
During Japan's reconstruction after World War II, thong production helped keep people working.
High demand for rubber thongs allowed Japanese firms to expand into neighbouring countries, further spreading their prosperity.
Today, particularly among the young, thongs are a popular substitute for more formal closed-toed footwear.
In Australian cities, it is common to see women wearing thongs with business attire, where once only a pair of heels would have done.
Fernando Tigre, former head of Brazilian firm Alpargatas SA, which manufactures the Havaianas brand of thongs, has said thongs are almost ubiquitous across countries, races and socio-economic groups.
"The guy who owns a mansion wears them, and the guy that cleans his swimming pool wears them too," he is quoted as saying.
Fellow Brazilian Bundchen visited Australia this week to launch her Ipanema Collection, a range of thongs and sandals to be sold in Australia.
The glamazon will donate five per cent of her earnings from the sale of the shoes to the Y Ikatu Xingu, or Pure Xingu Water campaign, aimed at preserving the headwaters of the Xingu River system in Brazil's Amazon region.
"The Y Ikatu Xingu campaign is a hugely important initiative for the Brazilian Amazon and the people," Bundchen said in a statement.
But while Bundchen's image lends some glamour to the Ipanema Range, she opted to wear Manolo Blahnik heels to the Ipanema launch at Melbourne's Docklands on Wednesday night.
"Because it is evening. I think they are more for the day," she said of the Ipanema range.
Perhaps there are some things the mighty thong just can't do.
http://www.news.com.au/courier....00.html (http://www.news.com.au/couriermail/story/0,23739,22530473-23272,00.html)
amie Duncan
October 05, 2007 12:00am
THONGS were among the earliest footwear used by humans. A modern rubber incarnation helped expand Japan's post-World War II economy.
And there was a time in Australia when thongs were only seen at the beach and backyard barbies - a combination as solidly Aussie as meat pie and sauce.
These days, the humble thong is also a highly fashionable accessory that is good enough for the office, for socialising, and for the celebrity set, as a bejewelled red carpet showstopper.
Now supermodel Gisele Bundchen is the latest to latch on to the thong and promote her own stylish brand, which she launched in Melbourne this week.
The Japanese and the ancient Egyptians are both credited with being the first cultures to devise the thong - a v-shaped loop through a flat timber sole.
In Japan, the wooden thong is worn by as diverse characters as the weighty sumo wrestlers and delicate geisha girls.
The idea caught on. Today, thongs are the world's biggest-selling footwear.
Manufacturers in the Japanese city of Kobe perfected the rubber thong in the 1930s - based on ancient wooden or woven designs, but made with low cost materials and equipment.
During Japan's reconstruction after World War II, thong production helped keep people working.
High demand for rubber thongs allowed Japanese firms to expand into neighbouring countries, further spreading their prosperity.
Today, particularly among the young, thongs are a popular substitute for more formal closed-toed footwear.
In Australian cities, it is common to see women wearing thongs with business attire, where once only a pair of heels would have done.
Fernando Tigre, former head of Brazilian firm Alpargatas SA, which manufactures the Havaianas brand of thongs, has said thongs are almost ubiquitous across countries, races and socio-economic groups.
"The guy who owns a mansion wears them, and the guy that cleans his swimming pool wears them too," he is quoted as saying.
Fellow Brazilian Bundchen visited Australia this week to launch her Ipanema Collection, a range of thongs and sandals to be sold in Australia.
The glamazon will donate five per cent of her earnings from the sale of the shoes to the Y Ikatu Xingu, or Pure Xingu Water campaign, aimed at preserving the headwaters of the Xingu River system in Brazil's Amazon region.
"The Y Ikatu Xingu campaign is a hugely important initiative for the Brazilian Amazon and the people," Bundchen said in a statement.
But while Bundchen's image lends some glamour to the Ipanema Range, she opted to wear Manolo Blahnik heels to the Ipanema launch at Melbourne's Docklands on Wednesday night.
"Because it is evening. I think they are more for the day," she said of the Ipanema range.
Perhaps there are some things the mighty thong just can't do.
http://www.news.com.au/courier....00.html (http://www.news.com.au/couriermail/story/0,23739,22530473-23272,00.html)