Fergie's Tech Blog

Immigrant Tech: Shoes Designed to Help Border Crossers

Now here’s something that’s sure to create a little bit of controversy. They’re called Brincos, and they’re shoes designed to help illegal immigrants cross the U.S.-Mexican border.

Designed by Argentinean artist Judi Werthein, these shoes feature an array of items designed to make the dangerous trip across the border a little less so. There’s a built-in compass, a pouch inside the tongue used to store aspirin and a map of popular routes going from Tijuana to San Diego on the insole. An Aztec eagle adorns the heel, while the shoes’ red, white, and green colors remind you that, yes, the shoes were designed with Mexican nationals in mind.

The Brincos (the name derives from the Spanish verb brincar, “to jump,” as in, to jump the border) were handed out for free to migrants, while so-called hip stores in San Diego were spotted selling them for $215. Please don’t tell Pat Buchanan.

posted by Fergie @ 2/21/2006 11:03:00 AM