The Rise and Fall of the Plastic Sandal

They were born 75 years ago, not far from Lyon, when there was a surplus of PVC and a shortage in leather post-WWII. Known as Jelly Shoes, these plastic sandals have a surprising history. First created for the French, they quickly made their way to West Africa and became a symbol of middle-class and colonialism. An object born out of a mistake makes for a fascinating lesson in material culture, consumerism, taste, and colonialism. This is a story of entrepreneurship and industry, movements of goods in the world, and about the tangible memory that burns a certain object into the private and public consciousness.