Pumps

Beth Levine|Andrew Geller, Inc.

1947 · leather · Costume Institute

Beth Levine's ingenious and witty designs, experimentation with novel materials, and ability to invent practical solutions have earned her the place of top female shoe designer of the 20th century. Levine was particularly adept at predicting future trends and devising structural innovations. Chief among her achievements were the popularization of the fashion boot in the 1960s, the use of vinyl and spandex, and the inventions of the Spring-o-lator mule, the stocking shoe, and the topless shoe. These boundary-breaking innovations earned Levine a Coty award 1967. This pump is an early example of Levine's work, produced by the high-end Brooklyn manufacturer Andrew Geller. The shape, with a very high arch and round toe, was called the "baby-doll" style at the time. The "shelled-out" (low cut) upper and cutaway vamp with strap insertions was a strong design trend at the time, and Levine attributed her low-cut, sexy designs with the early success of her company Herbert Levine, Inc.

Artist

Beth Levine|Andrew Geller, Inc.

Date

1947

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 Beth Levine in memory of her husband, Herbert, 1994