Collectable Names and Designs in Women's Shoes

Tracy Martin

• Publisher: Pen & Sword History
• Year: 2018
• ISBN:
  9781526709301
• Topic: Social Sciences
• Subtopic: Sociology
• Index: Social Sciences

Full with innovative, sculptural and outrageous footwear this book celebrates all shoes from the pump to the platform and the court shoe to the stiletto.Shoes are no longer regarded just for their practical purpose of protecting the feet as they have now become iconic works of art that would not look out of place displayed in a gallery. Collectable Names and designs in Womens shoes celebrates and showcases an eclectic array of artistic footwear which has been created by renowned designers and also has the added element of being highly desirable with collectorsBeginning with a look at the history of shoes the book predominantly looks at designer offerings from the 20th and 21st Centuries. Packed full of information on the innovative shoe designers, where they gained their inspiration and how their fabulous footwear impacted on the fashion scene along with interesting facts and tips on the area of collecting shoes. Tracy Martin will prove there is literally a collectable heel to fit every foot from the more conservative to the downright outrageous which only the fashion forward would dare to wear.

Chapter 1

Collecting Shoes

‘I did not have three thousand pairs of shoes, I had one thousand and sixty’.

Imelda Marcos, former First Lady of the Philippines

Many of you ladies have probably never even considered that all of those pairs of shoes stacked high in your wardrobe, thrown under the bed or scattered around the house could be classed as valuable collectables. However, there is a possibility that one or two of your prized pairs could be eagerly sought by collectors.

When it comes to the collectability of shoes there are various avenues to explore. Many people choose to concentrate on acquiring antique pairs with the elaborately decorated examples being the most desirable. Others prefer to amass shoes dating from the twentieth century onwards, sometimes dedicating their collection to just one particular decade or a specific style, such as 1970s platforms or 1960s court shoes. However, a more recent trend is for snapping up the newest designer and high street offerings in the hope that these twenty first century shoes will eventually become must-haves on the collectors market.

It doesn’t really matter which option you choose as all areas are already demonstrating buoyancy but I will stress that the whole point to collecting shoes is that they bring enjoyment and, of course, are heels that you instantly fall in love with. I personally own an eclectic mix of styles, decades and designers which I have purchased because I couldn’t bear the thought of living without them! I do wear all my heels (all right, I confess to only wearing the expensive pairs on carpet and not in the street) and gain great pleasure when someone exclaims ‘Wow I love your shoes!’ They are indeed a thing of beauty and it is with this thought in mind that you should be purchasing those heels that you truly must have, no matter what. It is only then, as you start to buy the odd pair here and there, that you come to realise you have amassed quite a collection.

1899 magazine advertisement for ‘Queen Quality’ shoes.

Collecting antique and early twentieth century shoes

Many antique shoes are housed in museums around the world so that is why, when great examples dating to the early centuries come up for sale, you are not only competing with other avid collectors but also with museums. Even shoes dating to the Victorian era are getting scarce, with the button boot proving the most popular due to its recent fashion revival. People wish to own the original examples where possible as they appreciate the importance of wearing a true piece of history on their feet.

Genuine Victorian button boots made of satin and silk.

The great thing about collecting antique and early twentieth century shoes is that they are so evocative of an era, especially those dating from the Jazz Age of the 1920s and Hollywood’s glamorous 1930s heyday, when women really did ooze elegance. Their dainty footwear mirrored their femininity and by purchasing heels from these decades you will be stepping back in time to when sophistication was the order of the day for style conscious women.

Invest in a button hook if buying a pair of Victorian boots to wear as the small buttons can be tricky to fasten with your fingers.

A pair of Marie Antoinette’s heels were sold at auction in 2012; in amazing condition, they were size 3.5 and made £6,000.

Pre-war shoes have their problems as leather dries out and satin shoes can become thin. So rather than wearing heels from the 1920s or 1930s it might be better to just collect and admire them. You can always treat yourself to a modern pair if you want to replicate the style.

Genuine retro footwear

If you have decided that trying to hunt out these harder to find early heels is complicated then a great place to begin your collection is with the 1940s. There are many examples out there to buy at really affordable prices. These shoes also possess style but due to wartime shortages do not carry the rich embellishments of examples from earlier decades, so you are buying into a classic simplistic design that will always stand the test of time.

Purchase antique shoes that are encrusted with rhinestones and possess big bold buckles or rich embellishments as the more lavish the decoration, the more desirable the shoes.

Moving into the 1950s and beyond is where shoe collecting can get really exciting because there is a wealth of styles and designs to choose from. Footwear turned a corner in the middle of the twentieth century and as a result, collectors recognise that it was an important period in fashion history. Sophisticated stiletto peep toe heels, 1960s knee high Go-go boots, vinyl sling-backs, 1970s platform soled boots and heavy Holyrood shoes have all become prized collector’s items.

Many vintage shops, fairs and websites offer an array of shoes dating from the 1940s onwards, making these the perfect places to begin if you are considering starting a collection of vintage heels.

Plenty of sparkle and bling on Seventies boots from the glam rock period will make them more desirable, and the brighter the disco shoes the better. Also, plastic PVC 1960s shoes will always attract a huge following. High end designer offerings such as those from Roger Vivier, Mary Quant or Vivienne Westwood will inevitably increase in value as demand is already high from collectors willing to pay hundreds of pounds in order to own original vintage designer footwear. In fact, when it comes to accumulating shoes from these decades, you normally need to be quick off the mark as great examples sell out fast and, more often than not, for high prices.

1940s ladies’ sling back shoes with decorative pierce work.

Condition is also paramount as collectors steer clear of shoes that have had the life worn out of them. So, before you buy, ensure that silk and satin shoes are not threadbare or covered in stains. Ensure all the beading and embellishments are still in place and that there is not too much wear to the sole or heel.

Mary Quant 1960s Chelsea boots with eyelet and buckle decoration.

As women used to have much smaller feet, many shoes dating right up to the 1980s are quite slender and often their sizing is not equivalent to today’s. I wouldn’t want you to purchase a stunning pair of shoes in your size because you believe they would be the perfect fit only to feel like an ‘Ugly Sister’ as you struggle to place the shoe on your foot. The golden rule is try before you buy if you intend to wear the shoes but if they are purely for display then shop away regardless of size.

Buy from reputable vintage fashion outlets, auction houses and dealers who can guarantee authenticity as there are (as with all shoes) vintage styles revisited on the market.

Contemporary Shoes

When it comes to modern shoe collecting it is true to say that the shoes you buy today could increase in value quite rapidly. I was approached by the weekly UK fashion magazine Grazia and asked if I would write a page on ‘investment shoes’. I was thrilled and at once started to look at what I believed to be the perfect pairs from more recent decades, as well as some offerings from today’s fashion industry that I thought would hit the spot for collectors now and in the future.

Buyers beware of modern fake designer shoes as the market is overflowing with copies especially for up to date designs.

I decided to feature Chanel ‘two-tone’ pumps as they epitomize the brand and are a classic design; Yves Saint Laurent’s Tributes which first debuted in 2006; Manolo Blahnik’s heels; loafers by Tod Gommini and, of course, Vivienne Westwood’s pirate boots which made their first catwalk appearance in 1981. Instantly recognizable as design classics, all these examples (and especially the older ones) are eagerly sourced by collectors and so should always retain their value.

When thinking about contemporary shoes as collectables or for future investment, there are various factors to take into consideration. Think out of the box, and examine those heels that display an air of adventure; the more quirky they are, the more likely it is that they will become collectable. Limited edition shoes or those only available for a short period of time are definite must-haves, as are the aforementioned designer classics and those created out of collaborations as these all have the potential to increase in value.

In 2009 the highly regarded shoe designer Jimmy Choo collaborated with the retail chain H&M, offering an exclusive collection of shoes that could only be purchased from specific H&M stores. The collection sold out immediately and today they can only be bought on the internet for elevated prices. H&M also joined forces in 2012 with fashion journalist and Vogue Japan Editor-at-Large Anna Dello Russo. Within the glitzy collection were a range of extremely luxe heels but these stunning designs have not attained the same level of desirability as the H&M Jimmy Choo collaboration. This is probably due to Jimmy Choo being an internationallyrenowned shoe designer whereas Russo is not a designer but someone recognized for wearing unique and innovative fashion. This is not to say that Russo’s collection will never become desirable within collecting circles as time is also an important factor. Items which are not popular on release often become sought after decades later.

Manolo Blahnik feather heels.

Anna Dello Russo heels for H&M.

Artistic Heels

Shoes today are about much more than basic footwear functionality as they give their owners a chance to express their individuality and even their artistic sensibilities. Many who appreciate the aesthetics of shoe design collect and display them like precious artefacts in glass-fronted cabinets.

Madonna is an avid shoe collector. She own hundreds of pairs, some of which she keeps wrapped in silk paper in her wardrobe. Although she never wears them, the iconic pop star occasionally takes them out to admire before carefully replacing them inside the wardrobe.

You only have to walk into the spectacular Shoe Galleries at London’s Selfridges store for evidence that today we are blessed with exceptional talent when it comes to designing and producing jaw dropping heels. A sea of shoes beckons the consumer; there are enticing sculptural creations from the likes of Alexander McQueen, Nicholas Kirkwood and Rupert Sanderson as well as exquisitely embellished offerings from other commercially desirable designers including Giuseppe Zanotti and Chri...

Table of contents

• Cover
• Dedication
• Title
• Copyright
• Contents
• Foreword
• Introduction
• Chapter 1 Collecting Shoes
• Chapter 2 The History of Shoes
• Chapter 3 The Age of Jazz
• Chapter 4 The Glamorous Thirties
• Chapter 5 The War Years
• Chapter 6 The Fabulous Fifties
• Chapter 7 The Swinging Sixties
• Chapter 8 The Disco Years
• Chapter 9 The Powerful 1980s
• Chapter 10 The End of a Century
• Chapter 11 The New Millennium
• Chapter 12 Tips for Collecting Shoes
• Acknowledgements
• Directory of Contacts
• Photographic Credits