Shoes

Edmée

ca. 1941 · cotton, cork, wood · Costume Institute

Material shortages in Europe during World War II necessitated designers and manufactures to turn to alternative fabrications. Leather was particularly in short supply for civilian use, so shoemakers resorted to cloth for uppers and wood and cork for soles. Metal shortages in Italy in the later 1930s led to the development of the wedge heel, as the metal shanks used to support traditional high-heeled shoes were unavailable. Created in Paris during the war years, this pair of shoes includes the seemingly omnipresent ankle strap, which allowed a more open feeling to the upper while supporting a bulky (and potentially heavy) sole.

Artist

Edmée

Date

ca. 1941

Medium

cotton, cork, wood

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 Miss R. A. Perner, 1964