Looking to develop a language for fashion which is about a greater purpose and social cause, artist Jo Cope is bringing communities together through her touring exhibition Shoes Have Names.

Joining forces with Shelter, Shoes Have Names features a collection of handmade artworks inspired by the personal experiences of real people facing homelessness. Ten international artists, shoemakers and designers were paired up with a person that Shelter has helped through its frontline services.  

Discussing the exhibition, Jo Cope surmised: “Shoes Have Names aims to use fashion as a positive vehicle to create greater public awareness of homelessness. It also celebrates the amazing work of Shelter. This year, as the pandemic took hold and more and more people found themselves facing their own housing crisis, Shelter’s services have never been more vital.“

Exploring the shoes created by Tabitha Ringwood, she collaborated with Kimberley who was heavily pregnant when she received a shock eviction notice. She then faced ’No DSS’ discrimination and struggled to find a landlord who accepted tenants who received housing benefits. Crafting a red stiletto repurposed from a leather sofa, the message of hope and positive change in the face of adversity is pulled from the meaning a sofa can hold for a home: a centralised sense of comfort and security, an unknown to many who are supported by Shelter.

Jo Cope’s dedication for the exhibition is to spotlight the role and responsibility fashion must uphold now more than ever: “Fashion’s role in society is changing; this fashion project reflects the need for ethical shifts in the fashion industry towards something more human-centred. Boutique by Shelter, which is already doing great things for sustainability, was the perfect partner. And naming shoes after real people supported by Shelter is a way of giving these people back their place in society and a positive identity, which can sometimes be lost by the blanket term ‘homeless.”

Tags: exhibition, exhibitions in London, shoes