Few items of clothing emit as many different messages as sandals do. They range from the fuddy-duddy and dull to the glamorous and free. Above all, sandals are the simplest and most direct practical response to the need to protect the feet. In fact, they were the earliest form of … [Read more...]
Some of the most renowned shoes made by POMPEI are on exhibition at Palazzo Pitti, in Florence
“WORN BY THE GODS: the art of footwear through ancient Rome, epic films and contemporary fashion” is the title of an exhibition curated by Lorenza Camin, Caterina Chiarelli and Fabrizio Paolucci, to whom we were happy to lend a selection of POMPEI shoes, some made for the epic … [Read more...]
Origins of Heels
"Most of the writings about the history of clothes - or, in fact, about the history of footwear - never linger on that particular feature known as the heel. We decided to spend some time on this topic, in order to make our study as complete as possible. Browsing the books … [Read more...]
’50s/’60s/ ’70s THE FASHION YEARS Shoes
"Although it’s virtually impossible to pinpoint a date when changes took place, Christian Dior’s first collection would seem to constitute the one big exception. It came out in 1947. The birth of his New Look literally turned women’s fashions upside down, marking the end of an … [Read more...]
Shoes in Art: Andy Warhol
In the 50s, while he was working as an advertising designer, Andy Warhol produced three serigraphic portfolios centered around the idea of the shoe - "Golden Shoes", "À la Recherche du Shoe Perdu" and "Diamond Dust Shoes". His intention was elevating a common item to the status … [Read more...]
“Due passi tra le stelle”
In the days when the stars were more important than the films they appeared in and the arrogant vanity of actresses could impose their wills on the most difficult great producers by screaming scenes and faints on of set, it often happened that shoes designed by great costume … [Read more...]