Rainbow plateau shoe for Judy Garland
Origin: Florence
Date: 1938
Lender: Museum Salvatore Ferragamo, Florence
Art & Design
Shoe sculpture "Ufo"
Origin: Budapest, Hungary
Date: 2003
Lender: Zita Attalai
Origin: Budapest, Hungary
Date: 2003
Lender: Zita Attalai
"Life is good, art is beautiful. Shoe, only you can exist in both” (Ferdinand Scholz)
The lines between the work of the cobbler, fashion designer and artist are often blurred. These creators are in constant dialog with one other and also inspire each other. Thus, some shoes are specially designed, but still wearable fashion pieces, while other shoes are pure objects of art.
Around 1890, Vincent van Gogh painted his first still life with a shoe as a central motif. The undying fascination for this object lies in its strong, symbolic connection to power, eroticism and religion.
The lines between the work of the cobbler, fashion designer and artist are often blurred. These creators are in constant dialog with one other and also inspire each other. Thus, some shoes are specially designed, but still wearable fashion pieces, while other shoes are pure objects of art.
Around 1890, Vincent van Gogh painted his first still life with a shoe as a central motif. The undying fascination for this object lies in its strong, symbolic connection to power, eroticism and religion.
Salvatore Ferragamo (1898-1960)
"Feet speak to me"
In the 1920s, the Italian cobbler Salvatore Ferragamo outfitted film productions in Hollywood. After the stock market crash in 1929, Ferragamo went back to Italy and built his business back up. Due to the economic sanctions starting in 1935, he was no longer able to obtain leather.
Ferragamo thus began to use unusual materials such as parcel string, cork and cellophane for his shoes. He influenced shoe fashion again and again. For example, in 1936 he created the wedge heel and in 1947 a sandal with "invisible" straps made of nylon threads.
