Material Matters: The iconic herringbone

The ‘Herringbone’ pattern gets its name from an uncanny resemblance to the bones of a herring – or the skeleton of just about any fish, for that matter. Thanks to its thin chevron stripes, herringbone has a clear resemblance to what you threw out the last time you filleted your summer catch.

The pattern itself is most often associated with fabric, and dates all the way back to ancient Egyptian textiles (not to mention the jewellery of the elite), but was also the go-to for the extensive system of roads built by the Roman Empire. That’s because the interlocking of the criss-crossing chevrons were the perfect way to absorb the compression of constant traffic and footfall. Thus, cultures the world over have followed in ancient Rome’s footsteps ever since. You can find examples of herringbone-style roads and flooring in countless countries across the globe. 

The durability that herringbone affords roads is the exact same reason that the pattern continues to be a popular go-to for fabrics.

Often described as a twill variant, herringbone is created by periodically reversing the twilling to change the diagonal wale, thus creating the chevrons. It’s also typically wool, making it popular for tweed pieces like suits and outerwear. Herringbone fabric isn’t necessarily always wool, though. During and after World War II, for example, herringbone was the pattern of choice for the cotton military fatigues because it stood up to everyday wear and tear while also being lightweight and breathable.

Herringbone is also regularly used for a number of other unexpected applications. For example, Brunelleschi’s Dome in Florence is credited with herringbone’s surge in popularity among masons during the Renaissance as that particular method of brick-laying provided far more strength than the alternatives at the time.

Herringbone gears, on the other hand, are a popular type of double helical gear for multiple reasons. Not only do they allow for the smooth transfer of power since they’ll always have more than two teeth enmeshed at any given moment, but they also offer a balanced side thrust and are perfect for turbine engines.

Application in Footwear

So how exactly does this all apply to footwear?

Sure, there have been various examples of tweed kicks over the years, but herringbone is typically reserved for another part of the shoe entirely: the outsole.

Herringbone traction has long been the go-to for basketball kicks and any other sport you can think of. That’s because herringbone is perfect for multidirectional footwork, allowing the wearer to stop on a dime and change direction with ease. It can also be infinitely tweaked; many sneakers use a variety of patterns (most of which are derivatives of herringbone) on different parts of the outsole to provide the optimal amount of traction based on contact, conditions and biomechanics.

A perfect example of this is Kyrie Irving’s signature line for Nike. As the Swoosh have explained in the past, when designer Leo Chang – also long behind Kevin Durant’s signature Nikes, and the same dude who worked alongside Jerry Lorenzo to create the Air Fear of God 1 – starting wokring with Kyrie, he ‘had never before seen an athlete contort at such extreme angles when accelerating, cutting and crossing over’. So, Chang opted for modified herringbone patterns throughout the entirety of the original Kyrie 1’s outsole – a design feature that’s been carried over and tweaked for each subsequent Kyrie silhouette. Chang even extended the pattern up to the sidewalls of the midsole for additional grip and slippage-prevention.

Next time you look at your favourite athlete’s signature kicks, take a look at the outsole. It fits in seamlessly with how and why they play the way that they do – and it almost certainly resembles the bones of a fish.