Shoes

Beth Levine|Herbert Levine Inc.

1955–60 · leather, plastic · 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. The wearer is given the appearance of the wearer standing barefoot in the forest by this characteristically ironic design. Levine used surrealist imagery, including plastic grass, race cars, and sports equipment, in several of her well known designs. A version of Levine's infamous "topless shoe", this shoe would have been secured to the foot with adhesive pads.

Artist

Beth Levine|Herbert Levine Inc.

Date

1955–60

Medium

leather, plastic

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