Tom Horan October 27, 2012

The shoes that tap to Jamaica’s reggae beat – in pictures

How did Clarks, scourge of schoolchildren, become the music genre's footwear of choice? A new book celebrates one of fashion's strangest trends

Jamaican Musicians: Half Pint, singer pictured wearing desert treks, Kingston, 2011 — In 2011, photographer Mark Read and writer, DJ and reggae buff Al 'Fingers' Newman travelled to Jamaica to talk to reggae and dancehall musicians about the country's obsession with Clarks footwear, which started in the 1960s. Here, Half Pint, singer, is pictured wearing Desert Treks at the Mixing Lab Studio, Kingston Photograph: Mark Read

Jamaican Musicians: Bunny — Bunny 'Striker' Lee, producer, inside Dub Vendor record shop, Clapham Junction, London, 2011
'From ever since, it’s the number-one shoe inna Jamaica. I’m talking from the 1950s. I’m 70 and still wearing dem. You used to have Dolcis, Ravel, Bally - Clarks lick dem away.' Photograph: Mark Read

Jamaican Musicians: Jah Stitch, deejay and selector, Kingston, 2011 — DJ/selector and former rude boy Jah Stitch in desert boots with his sound system on Princess Street, downtown Kingston, 2011. His gang, the Spanglers, set the trend for desert boots in the 60s: 'The Clarks, everything from England, the Spanglers used to love that.' Photograph: Mark Read

Jamaican Musicians: Deejay and producer Jah Thomas wearing desert treks, New Kingston, 2011 — The MC/producer Jah Thomas in Desert Treks, New Kingston, Jamaica, 2011. On UK trips in the 1970s and 80s, Thomas would take drawings of his family’s feet on cardboard to stores: 'Clarks for mum, Clarks for my son, Clarks for my wife, Clarks for my friends in the neighbourhood.' Photograph: Mark Read

Jamaican Musicians: Singer Chronixx wearing Clarks wallabees, Vineyard Town, Kingston — Singer Chronixx wearing Clarks Wallabees, Vineyard Town, Kingston, Jamaica, 2011 Photograph: Mark Read

Jamaican Musicians: Vybz Cartel in Desert Boots 2009 for his records about Clarks shoes — Vybz Kartel wearing desert boots in 2009. Kartel’s dancehall track Clarks was huge in 2010, and was swiftly followed by Clarks Again and Clarks 3 (Wear Weh Yuh Have)
Photograph: Niketa Thomas Photograph: Action images

Jamaican Musicians: Junior Reid wearing Wallabees in King Jammy's yard , Kingston, Jamaica 1986 — Junior Reid, the reggae/dancehall star wearing Wallabees in King Jammy’s yard, Kingston, in 1986 Photograph: Beth Lesser

Jamaican Musicians: Singer Tenor Saw wearing Wallabee boots, Kingston — Singer Tenor Saw wearing Wallabee boots, King Jammy's yard, Waterhouse, Kingston, 1985 Photograph: Beth Lesser

Jamaican Musicians: Singer Michael Prophet in desert boots, London, 2011 — Singer Michael Prophet in desert boots, London 2011. 'Junjo, Little John, Tonto, Jah Thomas, you name the whole crew, all of us ... Clarks,' he recalls. 'Every man pon the corner ... Clarks.' Photograph: Mark Read

Jamaican Musicians: Singer Little John wearing desert boots, Spanish Town, Jamaica 2011 — Singer Little John wearing desert boots, Spanish Town, Jamaica, 2011
His 1985 tune Clarks Booty ('Hold up your foot and show your Clarks booty, show crowd of people that you’re trash and ready') was for many years the best known tune about the brand Photograph: Mark Read

Jamaican Musicians: TRINITY wearing Desert Treks, near his Mixing Lab Studio, Kingston 2011 — Trinity wearing Desert Treks, near Mixing Lab studio, Kingston, 2011.
The DJ’s 1978 Clarks Shoe Skank describes being fobbed off with a 'pointed toe' alternative. 'If you don’t have on Clarks in those days,' he says now, 'you can’t get a girlfriend.' Photograph: Mark Read

Jamaican Musicians: Tyre fitter Philip Ricardo Carr in desert boots, Crossroads, Kingston 2011 — Tyre fitter Philip Ricardo Carr in desert boots, Crossroads, Kingston 2011 Photograph: Mark Read

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