100 Shoes: The Costume Institute

An exclusive look at one hundred fabulous shoes from the renowned Costume Institute at The Metropolitan Museum of Art

A hundred pairs of shoes, from the 16th to the 21st century, paint a vivid picture of how shoe styles have changed—sometimes radically—over the years. They also reveal how some trends have reappeared throughout the ages. For instance, platform shoes were worn by fashionable Venetian women from the 15th to the 17th century and by Manchu Chinese women in the 1800s. In the late 1930s, Salvatore Ferragamo introduced a modern version of the platform shoe, and updated versions appeared in the 1970s and 1990s.

Beautifully designed and produced, this brilliant follow-up to the Costume Institute of the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s 100 Dresses presents examples of fashionable footwear in a range of styles, from flats to stilettos and everything in between. Among them are shoes designed by Manolo Blahnik, Christian Louboutin, Roger Vivier, and Vivienne Westwood. Images of the shoes are accompanied by informative text and enhanced by works of art, contemporary photos, and portraits of designers. Sure to spark the imaginations of anyone interested in fashion and design, 100 Shoes details how women have used these essential fashion accessories to elevate their style, stature, and status throughout the centuries. An introduction by fashion-forward actress Sarah Jessica Parker adds to the accessibility and appeal of this delightful volume.