Then there was another group who were much more stylish. You would get the white lipstick, really severe hair cut and they would wear polka dots, white stockings, big plastic jewellery and a very short skirt with a big wide belt on it, like a pelmet skirt. They'd wear shoes with hourglass heels and a lot of them were totally unavailable. They really were, in their own way, very stylish and part of the scene.
Ian R. Hebditch
From: The Soul Stylists by Paolo Hewitt (Mainstream Publishing)
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1960 | Albanese of Rome
Hour Glass and Hula-Hoop (background)
Source: Niagara Falls Gazette (August 16, 1959)
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Even though presented as new, the Hour Glass heel belongs to the 1956 Sorelle Fontana collection designed by Dal Cò. So, how an Albanese shoe found its way into a Dal Cò collection? Most probably the link is Teresa Mezzatesta, designer at Dal Cò when she met - and later married - Enzo Albanese. The couple founded the Atelier Albanese in 1957. And the rest is (barely) known footwear history.
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1956 | Dal Cò (designed by Teresa Mezzatesta) for Sorelle Fontana
Hour Glass Heel
Source: Archivio Luce
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1959 | Albanese of Rome
The Hula-Hoop from the S/S collection
Source: RAI Teche
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You can still see the hula hoop heels through this heavy grained picture.
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1959 | Albanese of Rome
From The Citizen-Advertiser, Auburn, NY dated January 21, 1959
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Also worth of note is the Hour Glass heel upgrade showcased a year later (13-01-1960).
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Albanese of Rome
The iHour Glass (1960) and the Hula-Hoop (1959)
Source: Archivio Luce (Fondo VEDO)
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1960 | Albanese of Rome
Apparently it was a gold watch (true story)
Source: Archivio Luce (Fondo VEDO)
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FOOTNOTE
Along with the first copy of the fish-shoe, the hula-hoop appeared at A.I. Roman Inspirations (AltaRoma August 2014).
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Albanese of Rome
The Hula-Hoop
At A.I. (Artisanal Intelligence)/AltaRoma | Rome August, 2014
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HEELSTORY
Heel History in Pictures
Albanese Of Rome
The never ending saga of the fish-shoe
Albanese Of Rome
At The MET, NY
