Pumps

Mario Valentino|V. Valentino

1955 · leather · 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. "Broadtail kid" was introduced for the Fall 1956 season by William Amer Company of Philadelphia, and designed to emulate the then fashionable broadtail fur. The design of this pump was noteworthy to Osgood for its long sweeping line and the balanced placement of the heel.

Artist

Mario Valentino|V. Valentino

Date

1955

Medium

leather

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