A fashion exhibit ALL ABOUT SHOES in Paris

Photo by Patricia Gajo

FANCY FEET

THE MUSÉE DES ARTS DÉCORATIFS PUTS HER BEST FOOT FORWARD

Several of you have asked questions about the fashion exhibit Marche et démarche, une histoire de la chaussure at the Musée des arts décoratifs, seeing that I mentioned it twice in my earlier post about Christian Louboutin’s exhibit L’Exhibition[niste]. So here are some photos to whet your appetite. If you’re thinking about going, RUN, don’t walk. This exhibit ends soon on March 22nd, 2020.

Love these fancy flats for a little girl. This pair was made in leather and fabric, with metallic thread and sequins! —France, 1774-1792

A couple of years ago I completed a specialisation in Fashion History at the École du Louvre. My teacher was the inspiring Denis Bruna who also curated the spectacular exhibit Tenue correcte exigée ! in 2017. (Yay, lots of amazing adjectives!) This new exhibit explores how the shoe has evolved from a basic accessory to a cultural phenomena. There are several small rooms, each one exploring a historical or cultural theme. I’d recommend carving out a good couple of hours to enjoy the presentations fully.

One of the large showcases at the onset of “Marche et démarche,” exhibiting concrete goods in an impressive historical, planetary timeline.

In praise of small feet, these dainty slippers from France were placed on size grids to communicate just how tiny they are. The largest pair was about a size 36 (in Europe) or 6 (in North America). I loved how the silk ribbons were wound up in delicate swirls.

Here are shoes from China that are about the same size as my son’s shoes. He’s one and a half years old! (In another room there was a short film about a little Chinese girl “training” to walk in her wrapped feet. In the name of beauty and noble class “traditions”, she’s clearly tortured as she’s made to walk circles around a table.)

These beautifully preserved sandals from Egypt date back about 1,700 years. The caption notes how the styles of today haven’t changed much. In fact, I have a pair of sandals that I bought in Saint-Tropez a couple summers ago that looks very much like the model on the right.

The “Rainbow” shoe (front, centre) was designed by Salvatore Ferragamo for Judy Garland in 1938. The text explains how alternative materials, such as cork and wood (this pair is in cork) became popular after the shortage of certain materials like leather during WWII. This is also the shoe that inspired the mega-version at the entrance to the exhibit. See my opening image.

I thought this was funny because I own a pair of those “Pigalle” heels by Christian Louboutin (centre in black). My shoes are in a museum. Am I really that old?

Major platforms from England, 1980. I believe Naomi Campbell was wearing something like this during her famous tumble on the catwalk.

Some of the towering platform shoes inspired this fun little “Salon d’essayage” where you can take a mock pair for a spin - with support. I found it interesting that only young kids dared to try them while their parents laughed. The rest of us have been there, done that.

These furry bear paws were used by the Choctaw in the Mississippi Valley, US, to “outwit their enemies” by leaving bear prints instead of human footsteps in the snow.

Glass slippers by Maison Martin Margiela for their Fall & Winter 2009 collection.

These “Ballerina Ultima” heels were made by Christian Louboutin for David Lynch who had asked him to design a shoe “impossible for walking” but for “love-making.” They were to be featured in a series of erotic photos, many of which you can view at the new Christian Louboutin exhibit “Exhibition[niste]” (see my blog post a out it).

Similarly, this shoe from 1851 England (it is believed) with its exaggerated arch and tippy-toe might also be impossible for walking. A walking contradiction!

I admired these final two pairs for their architectural value. The first, “Noheelshoes” (2003), is by Marloes ten Bhömer who was born in 1979.

The second and last pair is called “Nova” (2013) by Zaha Hadid and Rem D Kookhaas in, what else, chrome!