Shoes A-Z: Designers, Brands, Manufacturers and Retailers - Hardcover

Walford, Jonathan

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0500515263 ISBN 13: 9780500515266

Publisher: Thames & Hudson, 2010

Synopsis

A brilliantly illustrated compendium of shoe designers, brands, manufacturers, and retailers since 1950.

“I did not have three thousand pairs of shoes. I had one thousand and sixty.”―Imelda Marcos

In recent years shoes have become objects of fanatical devotion, as covetable designs have gained iconic status and shoe designers have become heroes of popular culture. From Christian Louboutin’s signature red sole and the Manolo Blahnik heels that helped to define Sex and the City’s Carrie Bradshaw to the eco-friendly footwear of the future, shoes are now a fashion statement all their own.

Is there such a thing as a leading shoe fashion anymore? The silhouettes, colors, and details on the feet of models and in the pages of fashion magazines used to be the ultimate in style, but they no longer represent all fashion footwear any more than haute couture represents all fashionable clothing. Renowned fashion specialist Jonathan Walford recounts the fascinating history of more than 350 leading women’s shoe designers and manufacturers who have shaped modern footwear over the last sixty years. A rich array of sketches, photographs, and advertisements highlight superlative craftsmanship and lasting trends.

Featuring designs by Bally, Beverly Feldman, Camper, Charles Jourdan, Chie Mihara, Christian Louboutin, Ferragamo, Herman Delman, Jimmy Choo, Joan & David, Kenneth Cole, Manolo Blahnik, Maud Frizon, Roger Vivier, Rupert Sanderson, and Sergio Rossi. 350 color and 50 black-and-white photographs and illustrations

About this title

About the Author

Jonathan Walford was the founding curator of the Bata Shoe Museum in Toronto and a founder of the Fashion History Museum in Canada. His previous books include Forties Fashion. He lives in Canada.

Reviews

Walford, founding curator of two fashion museums in Canada, lays out the intricacies of what we, for the most part, never leave home without: shoes. The bulk of the book reads like a mini-encyclopedia, taking readers through more shoe designers than they’re likely to have ever heard of: their styles, business/brand history, associations, and creators. Images are plentiful, including new and vintage ads alongside the shoe pics, and the spare text is full of useful and surprising facts. Did you know, for instance, that early Parisian shoemakers often moonlighted as . . . firemen? A shoe-related glossary will help in describing types, parts, and sizing of shoes as well as manufacturing materials and methods. Ranging from the stunning and timeless (a Roger Vivier embroidered satin pump) to the absurd (a platform “jelly” sandal with a tiny, floating Big Ben replica in the heel), the images will be enjoyed even by readers who don’t know their arch from their vamp. A useful volume to have on hand for all things footwear. --Annie Bostrom

Edition details

• Publisher: Thames & Hudson
• Publication date: 2010
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0500515263
• ISBN 13: 9780500515266
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 256