Article 2 of the "Patent Law" stipulates: "Inventions and creations" as mentioned in this Law refer to inventions, utility models and designs.
Invention refers to a new technical solution proposed for a product, method or improvement thereof.
Utility models refer to new technical solutions proposed for the shape, structure or combination of products that are suitable for practical use.
Appearance design refers to a new design that is aesthetically pleasing and suitable for industrial application, based on the shape, pattern, or combination of the product, as well as the combination of color, shape, and pattern.
This is the scope of patent granting. Only these three innovations can apply for patents.
But in order to be granted a patent, the following conditions need to be met: the inventions and utility models for which patent rights are granted should be novel, creative and practical.
Novelty means that the invention or utility model does not belong to the existing technology; no unit or individual has applied for the same invention or utility model to the patent administration department of the State Council before the application date, and It shall be recorded in patent application documents or published patent documents published after the filing date.
Creativity means that compared with the existing technology, the invention has outstanding substantive features and significant progress, and the utility model has substantive features and progress.
Practicality means that the invention or utility model can be manufactured or used and can produce positive effects. The design for which a patent right is granted shall not belong to an existing design; no unit or individual has applied for the same design to the patent administration department of the State Council before the application date, and it shall be recorded in patent documents published after the application date.
Compared with existing designs or combinations of existing design features, the design for which patent rights are granted should be significantly different.
So, in order to obtain a patent, one must have an invention and creation, and the other must apply for a patent.
If shoes like you mentioned were invented today, they would definitely be an invention with novelty, creativity and practicality. If you apply to the patent office, I think a patent will be granted.