Description
The Bata Shoe Museum Foundation [Published Date: 2005]. Soft cover, 39 pp. Catalogue of an exhibition held at the Bata Shoe Museum from Sept. 23, 2005 to Sept. 2006.
Rare, out-of-print & unusual books · Since 1997
114
Turn the pages with the arrows, keyboard, or a swipe.
Catalog notes
Condition & notes
In good condition. Oversized (9.5 x 12.5") glossy illustrated paper covers have light bumping and creasing to edges and light overall scuffing and soiling. Binding tight. Pages clean and unmarked. Mostly color illustrations. [From Foreword] Some of the most outstanding shoes in Western culture have been created by the shoe designers of the 20th century. To celebrate our 10th anniversary the Bata Shoe Museum assembled an exhibit of the most dazzling examples of women's shoes from the last century. Originally we planned to select only ten designers, but we soon realized that the 20th century was so rich in fashion changes and innovation that it was impossible to make such a narrow selection. We chose women's shoes, because modern fashion has been predominantly a female affair. Men's shoes during most of the last century were rather uniform and limited to relatively few basic styles. In women's shoes, designers became more adventurous than in the whole previous history of footwear and brought about changes with unprecedented speed. Until the 20th century the name of the shoe designer was rarely known, since shoes were designed and handcrafted for a specific customer. During the first half of the 20th century a few shoemakers' names became prominent. They worked separately from the couturiers of the period and only in a few cases do we find some interplay. After the 1950s the situation changed; dress and shoe designers often cooperated, partly influenced by the ready to wear market in both fields. I personally became part of the world of shoes in the late 1940s, when I married an international shoe manufacturer focusing on the high volume market. Although the family business concentrated on a very different segment of the shoe industry, we had close personal contact with most of the "great stars" of shoe design. I have particularly fond memories of meetings with Salvatore Ferragamo and later also with Roger Vivier. Both of them had a strong impact on my own life, and my evolving interest in shoes. Salvatore was not only a great shoemaker, but also a very convincing showman. His personal ambition to create truly high quality shoes with outstanding fit, and his constant search for innovative materials left a deep impression on me. Roger Vivier's desire to create the ultimate elegance - true perfection in a shoe, balancing shape, materials and decorative treatments seemed to put the art of the shoe designer at the highest level. It was a true inspiration to see the shoe as a unique art form, which had previously never been achieved to the same extent. Almost all shoes in the exhibition feature high heels, which are equated with glamour and sophistication. They flatter the ankles and make the legs look longer. Well-designed, innovative and beautifully executed shoes can lift our spirits, affect our self-esteem and enhance our happiness in life. Women love shoes - the joy of elegance and magnificence will dispel any discomfort.