37 Things you Need to Know about Modern Britain: The Secret Meaning of Shoes

Do you like to jack yourself up on high heels? Or prefer to slip on a pair of battered Converse? Apparently, what you wear on your feet says a lot about you as a person – and we're obsessed with sending out the right message. The developed world's penchant for fancy treads has meant shoes are the most profitable product in the fashion sector, with brands such as Christian Louboutin and Manolo Blahnik earning iconic status. This talk looks at what makes shoes so seductive with a panel of speakers that includes Observer columnist Miranda Sawyer, shoe designer Marc Hare and men's fashion critic Charlie Porter. The talk kicks starts a new quarterly series organised by The House of St Barnabas (a charitable organisation that supports the homeless) and Bug – a cultural consultancy made up of writers and journalists including Stephen Armstrong and Ekow Eshun. The talk starts at 7pm, but the bar will be open from 6pm.