Sandals

David Levin|Saks Fifth Avenue

1938 · leather · Costume Institute

Born out of necessity due to material shortages in Europe around the time of World War II, the wedge heel saw its most fashionable period in the early 1940s. The wedge eliminated the need for a steel shank to support the arch of a heeled shoe. This pair of platform wedge sandals is particularly creative in the treatment of the sole, forming a continuous, curving surface around the back of the heel, and shows the playful quality of casual shoes at the time.

Artist

David Levin|Saks Fifth Avenue

Date

1938

Medium

leather

Culture

American

Department

Costume Institute

Credit line

Brooklyn Museum Costume Collection at The Metropolitan Museum of Art, Gift of the Brooklyn Museum, 2009; Gift of Mrs. Hollis K. Thayer, 1971