Felt Slippers
Liz Rice with Doreen Rice, Laurie Chattington and Allan Mackenzie
Liz Rice creates garments from felted wool,
Her new range of colourful mules and boots
are based on the one piece moccasin designs
worn by the Ponca Native Americans.
Liz has created three different designs for adorn,
equip.
One of the pairs is for Liz’s own mother who was born
with “hammer toes” and felt that conventional shoes were too flat
for her to wear.
adorn, equip has enabled Liz to reassess
her range
and her approach to designing, by looking at the individual needs
of three different people.
Liz studied fine art textiles at Goldsmiths College,
London.
She has worked in London as a theatrical costumier
About the Participants
Doreen Rice
Doreen has a problem buying fashionable shoes to fit her feet.
The sole and heel on her slippers had to be built up,
and the shape adapted to incorporate the supportive insoles
she has to wear for her fallen arches.
Laurie Chattington (aged 8)
Laurie is fed up with the limited range of orthopaedic footwear
he says the slippers on the market are particularly nasty!
Liz has designed slippers for him with extra wide openings,
and that fasten high and wide around Laurie’s ankles.
This ensures that Laurie’s splints are held securely.
Laurie was delighted to have slippers made especially for him
in bold bright colours
Allan Mackenzie
Allan was diagnosed with MS in 1989.
Because the nerves in his feet are damaged,
they often feel extremely hot when in fact they are cold.
He tends to wear loose cotton deck shoes around the house
Liz worked on designing something a little more
vibrant
The slippers are lined with cotton cloth,
as the felt was itchy on Allan’s skin.
The felt is quilted to give extra rigidity.
Rubber soles give Allan good grip,
whilst Velcro strips allow easy fastening.
© The City Gallery, Leicester and the artists: 2001
This site was built by Ju Gosling aka ju90 during an artist's residency at Oriel 31 in November 2001