Evening pumps

André Perugia

ca. 1931 · silk, rhinestones · Costume Institute

Evening pumps — André Perugia

André Perugia's elegant and innovative footwear has earned him a place among the top shoe designers of the 20th century. Perugia collaborated with many of the top couturiers for over sixty years, most notably with Paul Poiret in the 1910s and 1920s, and Elsa Schiaparelli in the 1930s. He was an innovator on all fronts; style, construction technology, and utilization of materials. In this refined and elegant design, the quality and attention to detail is shown by the minute piping on the upper and heel. The bowknot motif was a favorite of Perugia, which he reinvented with characteristic modern flair, both as cutouts (as on this example) and as a metal ornament, either sculpted and gilt or set with brilliants.

Artist
André Perugia
Date
ca. 1931
Medium
silk, rhinestones
Culture
French
Department
Costume Institute
Credit line
Brooklyn Museum Costume Collection at The Metropolitan Museum of Art, Gift of the Brooklyn Museum, 2009; Gift of Arturo and Paul Peralta-Ramos, 1955

Visually similar works