RADAR:Atheist Shoes, made by Dublin man David Bonney, is a new line of footwear that should be the right fit for non-believers, writes JOE HUMPHREYS
Further confirmation that atheism is hip comes in the form of a snazzy new line of footwear promising “a dollop of godless love, in a shoe”. The brainchild of Dubliner David Bonney (pictured above), Atheist Shoes aim “to increase visibility of non-believers in a subtle, tasteful way”, with messages like “Ich Bin Atheist” and “Darwin Loves” embossed on the soles.
A 2001 graduate of psychology at TCD, the Terenure son of a dressmaker worked in advertising in London but became “very frustrated about all these brands claiming to have values”. He signed off his career with a Jerry Maguire-style open letter and moved to Berlin in 2010 where he has teamed up with an artsy cadre of like-minded idealists. “Our first idea was to make Christian shoes with water in the soles – so you could walk on water – but it didn’t really sit with our own beliefs. So we decided to do something about what we believed in – which was nothing.”
Earlier this year, the prototype was launched on the influential trending site reddit.com, attracting 650,000 page views in 24 hours. Some 1,000 pairs have since been sold, with 10 per cent of profits to going to secular charities. Priced: €129-€140 ( atheistberlin.com)
Atheist Shoes will be on sale at a Christmas pop-up showcase of Irish designers at The Little Museum of Dublin on St Stephen's Green. See littlemuseum.ie
