I recently returned from a trip to Russia where I discovered many very interesting traditional footwear. Specifically woven shoes called Lapti.
Also felt Valenkis, but I’ll write about those on another post (felt boots/socks with no added sole, used in sub zero temperatures when there is little moisture).
I’m always very interested in woven and knitted constructions from Mexican Huaraches to Backpacks and Art.
Woven footwear made from plant fibre is traditional in many parts of Russia and neighboring countries like Finland and Belarus. But in Russia the Novgorod Province is probably best known for its woven footwear.
There are many traditional Lapti designs and each has its own name. Typically Laptis are made from birch, linden, or willow bark.
“Different regions had various methods of lapti weaving. In Central Russia, bast was laid diagonally, and weaving started from the heel of the shoe. In western parts, weaving started from the toe end and bast was laid athwart. Moscow lapti were high on the ankle, while in the North they were low and had pointed toes. Winter lapti were produced from double layers of bast and sometimes had a leather sole. There were also “weekend” lapti, thin, painted with ornaments, and tied with a woolen ribbon.
Everyone could make lapti – and this is why they’re the most Russian of all shoes. There is even an old Russian saying about a drunk man: “one that can’t even tie the bast” – which means “he can’t do the simplest thing.” That’s how important weaving was for a Russian. After a boy or a girl made their first lapti, these lapti were burned in the stove and the ashes swallowed (with water or bread) by the first time weaver – after this ever so tasty treat, Russians believed one would never forget how to make lapti.
Lapti were used as everyday footwear until the beginning of the Soviet Union. During the Civil War in Russia, most of the Red Army wore lapti. There was even a state-organized commission, CHEKVALAP (The Extraordinary Commission for Valenki and Lapti) that supervised the supply of the army with lapti. After mass shoe production from leather and rubber started in the USSR, lapti slowly became obsolete”.
Via Russia Beyond
Via Russia Beyond
I was lucky to be able to purchase a couple of pairs of woven shoes for my studies; its fascinating how the upper and the sole can be woven as one part.
This design is called Stupni and also exists in Finland called Tuohivirsut made with birch bark
These Lapti are made with linden bark.
- Belarusian lapti. The end of 20th century. Belarus. Linden bark, straight weaving. Width of strips – 1,5 cm. Dimension: L26xW11 cm.
- Chuny. 1930-1940. Priamukhino village, Kuvshinovsky District, Tver Province. Linen thread, straight weaving. Dimension: L27xW10 cm.
- Lapti. Late 1930’s. Zernovki village, Moshenskoe District, Novgorod Province. Woven by Pavel Vinogradov (1893 – 1960). Elm bark, diagonal weaving. Width of strips 2 cm. Dimension: L31xW13 cm.
- Lapti. Early 1980’s. Kholm, Novgorod Province. Woven by Vasiliy Alexandrov (1914 – 1993). Linden bark, diagonal weaving. Width of strips 1,5 cm. Dimension 28×11 sm.
- Mordovian Lapti. Early 1940’s. Ivantsevo Village, Lukoyanovsky District, Nizegorodsky Province. Woven by grandfather Zakhar. Linden bark, diagonal weaving. Width of strips 1,5 cm. Dimension: 27×11,5 cm.
- Lapti for the swamp. 1996, Okulovka District, Novgorod Province. Elm bark, straight weaving. Width of strips 2,3 cm. Dimension: 29×13 cm.
- Lapti. The second half of 20th century. Ryazan Province. Linden bark, diagonal weaving. Width of strips 1,3 cm. Dimension: 29×13 cm.
- Finnish stupni. 1980’s. Sonkajärvi, Finland. Birch bark, diagonal weaving. Width of strips 2,5 cm. Dimension: 31×16 cm.
- Stupni. Early 1990’s. Morozovo Village, Moshenskoe District, Novgorod Province. Woven by Aleksey Chusov (1908 – ?) Birch bark, diagonal weaving. Width of strips 2 cm. Dimension: 26,5×10 cm.
- Stupni. Early 1990’s. Vologda Province. Birch bark, diagonal weaving. Width of strips 2,5 cm. Dimension: 27×11 cm.
- Lapti. Early 1990’s. Laptevo Village, Mosheyskoe District, Novgorod Province. Woven by Fjodor Nazarov (1928 – 2007). Birch bark, linden bark (oborniki – special loops on both sides and back of shoe to fasten shoe to foot), diagonal weaving. Width of strips 2 cm. Dimension: 28×11,5 cm.
- Stupni. 1980’s. South of Arkhangelsk Province. Birch bark, diagonal weaving. Width of strips: 2,7 cm. Dimension: 28×13,5 cm.
- Mordovian Lapti? 1980-1990’s. Yambirno settlement, Shatsky District, Riazan Province. Linden bark, diagonal weaving. Width of strips: 1,2 cm. Dimension: 28×11 cm.
- Lapti. The first half of the 20th century. Rjazan Province. Linden bark, diagonal weaving. Width of strips: 1,5 cm. Dimension: 30×13 cm.
- Mari Lapti? The first half of the 20th century. South-East of Kursk Province. Linden bark, diagonal weaving (front top part – straight weaving). Width of strips: 1,7 cm. Dimension: 29×11 cm.
- Lapti. The end of the 19th – beginning of the20th century. South-East of Kursk Province. Linden bark, tarpaulin, diagonal weaving. Width of strips: 1,4 cm. Dimension: 28×13 cm.
- Lapti. Late 1940’s. Kozevnikovo village, Demiansky District, Novgorod Province. Woven by Ivan Ilyin (1917 – 1981). Linden bark, leather (obori – threads to fasten shoes to feet), diagonal weaving. Width of strips: 1,7 cm. Dimension: 30×13,5 cm.
- Lapti. 2006. Nizhegorodsksy Province. Linden bark, diagonal weaving. Width of strips: 1,3 cm. Dimension: 27×11 cm.
- Stupen (one piece) 1970 – 1975. Lubitovo Village, Novgorod District, Novgorod Province. Weaver: Fiodor Mikhailov (1903 – 1982). Birch bark, diagonal weaving. Width of strips: 2,4 cm. Dimension: 29×11 cm.
- Lapti. 1970 – 1980. Malaya Vishera, Novgorod Province. Linden bark, diagonal weaving (front top part – straight weaving). Width of strips: 1,5 cm. Dimension: 27×10,5 cm.
Images via the incredible book “Bast” by Vladimir Yarish. The Laptis are from the owners collection HERE
The book contains many captions and text in english to promote this wonderful traditional craft.
Imprint Books: V. Yarysh. Bast shoes. – Veliky Novgorod, ZAO “Novgorod Technopark”, 2015 – 75 p., 199 ill. ISBN 978-5-98769-125-0.
Laptis have also been the inspiration to some modern footwear designs. Like theses from Belarus and the Nike Water Cat.