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1970s | Maurizio Mandozzi design for the shoe factory Mary Poppins
Courtesy: Maurizio Mandozzi
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Eravamo certi che il MET di New York si sbagliasse pensando che il calzaturificio Mary Poppins fosse americano (ora corretto). Per contro, noi avevamo il sospetto che Mary Popps e Mary Poppins fossero due nomi per lo stesso calzaturificio, ma quasi tutto il resto ci era sconosciuto salvo che proprio il MET ne conservasse un modello e il Virtual Shoe Museum russo un'altro.
Tra gli elementi caratterizzanti: plateau e tacchi altissimi, in crèpe o rivestiti in pelle a strati di diversi colori o in camoscio, spesso evidenziati da curve inedite; punte rotonde, decorazioni geometriche e pelli in colori accesi o con laminature dorate o argentate.
We were sure that the NY's Metropolitan was mistaken about the shoe factory Mary Poppins being American (now amended). We thought Mary Popps and Mary Poppins were actually two names for the same shoe factory, but almost everything else was lost and unknown to us save for a model at the MET and another one at Russia's Virtual Shoe Museum.
Among the main Mary Pops/Mary Poppins features were plateau and
high heels, in crepe or covered by leather layers in different colors or by suede, often highlighted by unusual curves, geometric decorations and bright
colors with gold or silver laminations.
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1970s | Maurizio Mandozzi design for the shoe factory Mary Poppins
Courtesy: Maurizio Mandozzi
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Oggi sappiamo che quei modelli erano tutti riconducibili alla mano di Maurizio Mandozzi, un designer di Sant'Elpidio a Mare (Marche), grazie alle preziose informazioni forniteci da sua figlia, Valentina Mandozzi, che ringraziamo molto per la collaborazione.
Questo è quanto Valentina ci ha raccontato:
"Il Calzaturificio fu fondato a Sant'Elpidio a Mare con il nome di Mary Poppins nel 1963, da mio zio, Marcello Mandozzi, e Raffaele Giardini e col contributo di mio padre Maurizio Vittorio Mandozzi.
Nacque come calzaturificio di articoli da bambina, un settore che a quel tempo utilizzava delle forme molto femminili e vicine allo stile da donna. Mio padre, Maurizio Mandozzi, all'epoca poco più che ventenne, disegnava tutte le collezioni per il Mary Poppins e collaborava anche con numerosi altri calzaturifici locali. A sua volta aveva imparato il mestiere dal padre Costantino, che era anche stato uno dei primissimi stilisti e modellisti della zona e fu anche nominato Cavaliere del Lavoro."
Today we discover that all those models were designed by Maurizio Mandozzi, a designer from Sant' Elpidio a Mare (Marche region), thanks to the priceless information provided by his daughter, Valentina Mandozzi.
This is what Valentina told us:
“The shoe factory Mary Poppins was founded in Sant 'Elpidio a Mare in 1963, by my uncle, Marcello Mandozzi, and Raffaele Giardini, with the contribution of my father Maurizio Vittorio Mandozzi.
It started with the production of shoes for young girls, a sector using a very feminine style, close to women footwear. My father, Maurizio Mandozzi, then in his early twenties, used to design all the collections for Mary Poppins, while he was freelancing with many local shoe factories. He had learned his trade from his father Costantino, who had been one of the first stylists and designers in that area also honored as Cavaliere del Lavoro (Note: an award given by the Italian President to those who have made a major contribution to the country's economy)."
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ca. 1973 | Maurizio Mandozzi design for the shoe factory Mary Poppins
Courtesy: Maurizio Mandozzi |
Mary Poppins/Mary Popps
Part 2
Mary Poppins
1971
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ca. 1973 | Maurizio Mandozzi design for the shoe factory Mary Poppins
Courtesy: Maurizio Mandozzi
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| CA. 1973 Mary Poppins sandal at The Metropolitan Museum of Art Source: Metropolitan Museum of Art |
FOOTNOTE
It's always nice to match a drawing with the actual shoe. As for the date, we now stick with the museum (ca. 1973) as we weren't able to match another pair in a magazine of the time. Also nice to note that the same sandal is featured in two books:
- HIGH STYLE
Masterworks From The Brooklin Museum Costume Collection At The MET
1993 | Published by The Metropolitan Museum Of Art, NY
- 100 SHOES
2011 | Published by Yale University Press & MET, NY
Both books erroneously mark Mary Poppins as an American brand, while the MET website is now amended after we sent them the information.
It's always nice to match a drawing with the actual shoe. As for the date, we now stick with the museum (ca. 1973) as we weren't able to match another pair in a magazine of the time. Also nice to note that the same sandal is featured in two books:
- HIGH STYLE
Masterworks From The Brooklin Museum Costume Collection At The MET
1993 | Published by The Metropolitan Museum Of Art, NY
- 100 SHOES
2011 | Published by Yale University Press & MET, NY
Both books erroneously mark Mary Poppins as an American brand, while the MET website is now amended after we sent them the information.
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| Mary Poppins as seen in 100 SHOES 2011 | Published by Yale University Press & MET, NY |