"Lady Bloom"

Noritaka Tatehana

2013 · leather, metal · Costume Institute

The fantastical forms of Noritaka Tatehana’s handcrafted footwear allude to traditional Japanese getas, wooden sandals elevated by flat risers, and in particular the high, lacquered versions worn by elite courtesans, or oiran. The exaggerated arch of Tatehana’s “heelless” shoes also mimics the profile of a Western high-heeled shoe. Elevated footwear has long served as an indicator of status and identity in many cultures. The tall chopines of Renaissance Italy, for example, signified a woman’s status as a noblewoman or courtesan. Like their historical precedents, Tatehana’s shoes necessarily alter the wearer’s gait, precariously shifting one’s balance forward.

Artist

Noritaka Tatehana

Date

2013

Medium

leather, metal

Culture

Japanese

Department

Costume Institute

Credit line

Alfred Z. Soloman-Janet A. Sloane Endowment Fund, 2014