Today I want to talk about an original and surprising invention: the ‘Méduses’ (i.e. Medusa) plastic sandals, meant for walking on the beach. Surprising, because invented far from the seashore by an Auvergnat!At the end of the War, French people did not have enough food, clothing or footwear. In 1946, Jean Dauphant, the knife maker, imagined making knife handles out of plastic (rather than the rare and expensive horn, wood or shell). With his sons he then had the idea of using this cheap material to make shoes.
First, they replaced shoe leather by plastic, then they made a shoe entirely out of this material. Soon the company transformed itself into a shoe manufacturer. They produced a single model with straps and a transparent sole. It became one of the symbols of paid leave. The shoe provided 80% of the company results, and sales to Africa enabled the enterprise to develop even further.
The growth was brutally stopped by decolonization and the company had to focus on the French market. The company recovered, but the patent fell into the public domain in 1970. Today the market is vast, with big demand in South East Asia and Italy. The firm’s third generation has achieved good results thanks to colored shoes and floral motifs. It is the leader on the European market and its shoes are very popular in Japan.
The company has today grown to 300 people and produces 80 models.
Yet another Auvergne success story!
