Feiyue Shoes Introduction

Feiyue Shoes Introduction

You may know Adidas or Nike, these international popular brands. However, when it comes to Feiyue, people who live in the 30’s must be familiar with it. Feiyue is a sneaker brand originally produced in Shanghai, China, in the 1920s. Today, they are still produced in China. Since 2006, Feiyue is also a French owned company, separate from the original Chinese company.

The meaning of Feiyue

Feiyue means ‘to fly over’ or ‘to traverse’. This meaning is reflected in the banner of the brand: Flying forward, and evokes a dual elevation, which can also be translated simply as ‘elevation of body and mind’.

The history of Feiyue

  Feiyue originated in Shanghai in the 1920s and are manufactured by a company, which was called DaFu. Their robustness, flexibility and comfort made Feiyue so popular during the 30’s, which were considered essential requirements for martial arts and various forms of athletics. As for almost all wushu practitioners and athletes in China, the shoes are a staple. They were so well-received that the shoes even being used by numerous shaolin monks and kung fu masters. What’s more, the feiyue martial arts shoes are not only popular in the home but also a popular export with numerous foreign martial arts clubs and schools importing them as the standard shoes for their students. According to Chinese tradition, Feiyue means a elevation of both body and mind. However, with the opening up of China and the associated cultural and economic changes, this sneaker was gradually forgotten and began to lose prominence in China.

Feiyue Shoes in Popular Culture

Feiyue shoes currently are viewed as both a fashion item and as a shoe for martial artists. Feiyue shoes had returned into the spotlight after actor Orlando Bloom had been spotted wearing the shoes causing resurgence in interest for the brand. Besides, many performers wore the shoes during the opening of the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games, which showed that they are still in common use in China.

The versions of Feiyue shoes

The original Chinese versions of the Feiyue shoes are differ from the re-designed French versions, such as the Sole of the shoe, the canvas material of the shoe and the color of the shoe. To begin with, the sole of the Chinese Feiyue shoes contain less padding on the bottom of the shoe so that will be desirable for running and jumping, rather than the rich padding of the French version. Second, Chinese Feiyue shoes have a large range of ankle flexibility because of its thin canvas material. But the canvas material of the French version is much thicker. Last, the Chinese Feiyues originally came in only two colors, black and white and also come in HI and LO version of each. And it is also lack of styles, only with simple stripes with some different colors. Nowadays, Chinese Feiyue shoe has expanded its range to a range of colors and styles.

Conclusions

Overall, the Chinese Feiyues are designed as Martial Arts shoes but the French Feiyues are meant to be casual shoes. However, no matter whether the Feiyue is a brand of China or French, the products of it will be received by the world. As a Chinese, Feiyue shoes represent the culture of martial arts, also they are the symbols of flying forward, we can propagandize the features of the shoes and promote them to the whole world.