Shoe prototype

Leather's Best|Mondial Shoe

1955–58 · leather, wood · Costume Institute

The Osgood collection comprises 179 objects, chiefly fashionable Italian-made women's shoes dating from the years 1954 to 1958. The shoes were collected by Charline Osgood, Director of the Kid Leather Guild, a trade organization of American kid leather manufacturers. Highlighting the use of kid leather in footwear, the collection provides a fascinating and enticing view of high-style European shoe design from the period, representing many of the finest and most inventive Italian makers. This prototype was made up to highlight Leather's Best caramel kidskin in all its lustrous glory. The detailing on this shoe is extremely refined, sophisticated and delicate. An additional layer of interest is provided by the textural contrast between the patent leather, topstitching and perforations. The last features a very extreme version of the elongated narrow toe prevalent at the time, its attenuated lines accentuated by the swooping cut of the quarters.

Artist

Leather's Best|Mondial Shoe

Date

1955–58

Medium

leather, wood

Culture

Italian

Department

Costume Institute

Credit line

Brooklyn Museum Costume Collection at The Metropolitan Museum of Art, Gift of the Brooklyn Museum, 2009; Gift of Charline Osgood, 1960