'Ugly' shoes go mainstream as freaky footwear trend grows

Deliberately odd shoes once confined to catwalks are now common on commuter trains. Designs such as Vibram's toe-separating FiveFingers and barely-there mesh shoes, usually flat and slightly orthopaedic, are winning fans over plain pumps and trainers. Dal Chodha, a writer and lecturer at Central Saint Martins, says more people now feel free to have fun with their footwear.