Shoe Innovations

An illustrated survey of the most iconic shoe designs from the Edwardian Period to today.

Shoe Innovations is an enthralling survey of 60 of the most iconic shoe styles of the 20th and 21st centuries, from the Edwardian Louis heel, through the 1940s wedge, to the extreme architectural designs of Pierre Hardy for Balenciaga. It showcases a wide range of the most revered designers and their most sought-after creations.

Fashion expert Caroline Cox traces the evolution of high-fashion shoes, placing each benchmark design in its social, historical and cultural contexts and describing the reasons for its popularity (or fall from grace) and in some cases its revival. Along the way, she reviews the pioneering work of key designers and manufacturers, and highlights successful celebrity-brand associations like Kate Moss and Vivienne Westwood, and the stars of Sex and City and Manolo Blahnik.

Evocative period photographs of style icons wearing the shoes highlight the informative descriptions. Detail-revealing close-ups and original designer sketches delve deeper into the creative process. For each shoe design, there is also a mini photographic catalog of the style variations available today.

Shoe Innovations is an inspirational guide to the history of stylish shoes and a unique catalog of cutting-edge shoe design, proving that shoes are not only a key component of fashion but also an art form in their own right. It is the perfect book for shoe lovers everywhere.

Caroline Cox is an international authority on the history of fashion and beauty in both its modern and historical contexts. She broadcasts and lectures regularly on fashion and beauty culture and is a member of Vidal Sassoon's International Team and Editor-in-Chief of Sassoon magazine. For her outstanding contribution to fashion history and theory, Caroline was awarded a Visiting Professorship at the University of Arts, London. Her bestselling books include The Handbag and Vintage Shoes.