Hush Puppies shoes were once part of a shoes-buying social phenomenon which saw small groups of people having a huge influence on the masses, the Times remembers.

The newspaper reflected upon the tremendous impact of Malcolm Gladwell, whose book The Tipping Point, which was published in 2000, talked about Hush Puppies from its opening paragraph.

Gladwell told the story of a group of trendsetters based in Manhattans East Village, who fell upon the brand as if it were a completely new style in 1994.

Embracing the comfortable shoes for all they were worth, the fashionistas sent Hush Puppies spiralling into a period of previously unforeseen popularity and notoriety – which saw the companys sales rise by 5,000 per cent in three years without so much as a penny being spent on advertising.

“To manipulate big social trends, all you have to do is to influence a small number of the most influential people,” the article concluded.

Continuing to be very much part of whats on-trend to this day, the shoe manufacturer will be bringing out its new Body Shoe Collection in spring 2010, Womens Wear Daily reported.

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