1955 | THE JELLY SHOE BY JEAN DAUPHANT A.K.A. LA MÉDUSE©

[Not the original]
Jelly Shoe

Monsieur Jean Dauphant, from the Auvergne region (center-south France) started the brand SARRAIZIENNE in 1946. Shortage of leather required lateral thinking and the use of moulded plastic was an available option. Nicknamed Méduse, it became an instant classic.

1946 - 2013 | Sarraizienne by Jean Dauphant
Les Sarraix par Celles-sur-Duralle | France

The oldest patent available is dated 1954 while this one below is from the following year. In any case, it makes Jean Dauphant the original item making all the others second-rate copycats.

1955 | Jean Dauphant

Pantoufles en matière plastique

Source: INPI (Institute National de la Propriété Industrielle - France)

Much like the Crocs, the Méduse (jellyfish) is an acquired taste, however it can count on unsuspecting supporters like cult director Terry Gilliam.

A smart woman 

Check out my jelly shoes – pretty groovy, I’m sure you’ll agree. Michael Palin’s wife Helen hated them so much she wouldn’t let me in the house with them on. 

Terry Gilliam

[From: Gilliamesque: A Pre-posthumous Memoir - Harper Design, 2015]

1968 | Terry Gilliam | detail

Source: Gilliamesque: A Pre-posthumous Memoir - Harper Design, 2015

1952 | Sarraizienne by Jean Dauphant

Les Sarraix par Celles-sur-Duralle | France

Source: Delcampe

F O O T N O T E S

1961 | Bata Air-Ba

Artwork by Peter Birkhäuser

Source: Poster Auctioneer

1968 | The WE HAVE WAYS OF MAKING YOU LAUGH team

Source: Gilliamesque: A Pre-posthumous Memoir - Harper Design, 2015

1972 | FORMIFICIO FORLIVESE & EUGENIO TAIUTI & LUSY | NAPLES

1972 | Formificio Forlivese by Daniele Casadei

Last Maker

Forlì

1972 | Eugenio Taiuti for Lusy | Detail

Sole by Formificio Forlivese (Forlì)

Naples

1972 | Eugenio Taiuti for Lusy

Soles by Formificio Forlivese (Forlì)

Naples

1971 | CALZATURIFICIO DI VARESE

1971 | Calzaturificio Di Varese | Detail 

Showcased at M.I.C.A.M.

Photograph: Gianni Lavano

1971 | Calzaturificio Di Varese 

Showcased at M.I.C.A.M.

Photograph: Gianni Lavano

1971 | Calzaturificio Di Varese

Source: Calzature Italiane di Lusso magazine

1971 | Calzaturificio Di Varese

Source: Calzature Italiane di Lusso magazine

1971 | Calzaturificio Di Varese

Source: Calzature Italiane di Lusso magazine

CALZATURIFICIO DI
VARESE
I N D E X

SS 33 | CALZATURIFICIO MONTENEVOSO | CERRO MAGGIORE, MILAN

Montenevoso by Tovagliari

Cerro Maggiore, Milan

The shoe factory Montenevoso was founded in 1958 by A.Tovagliari, in Cerro Maggiore, via Risorgimento 12. It was specialized in men's footwear. The shoe designer was Luigi Proverbio.

Il calzaturificio Montenevoso era stato fondato nel 1958 da A.Tovagliari, in via Risorgimento 12 a Cerro Maggiore ed era specializzato in calzature da uomo. Il designer che ne curava le linea era Luigi Proverbio.

1964 | Montenevoso

Design by Luigi Proverbio

Source: Calzature Italiane di Lusso magazine

1965 | Montenevoso

Design by Luigi Proverbio

Source: Calzature Italiane di Lusso magazine

1966 | Montenevoso

Design by Luigi Proverbio

Source: Calzature Italiane di Lusso magazine

1967 | Montenevoso

Design by Luigi Proverbio

Source: Calzature Italiane di Lusso magazine

1969 | Montenevoso

Design by Luigi Proverbio

1969 | Montenevoso

Design by Luigi Proverbio

INTRODUCING DESIGNER LUIGI PROVERBIO

TANAGRA/YVES JEAN CLAUDE

CERRO MAGGIORE, MILAN

DESIGNER LUIGI PROVERBIO

TANAGRA/YVES JEAN CLAUDE

THE BEGINNING

1970 | YVES JEAN CLAUDE

AS SEEN IN CALZATURE ITALIANE DI LUSSO MAGAZINE

PART 1 | PART 2

1958 | Montenevoso Logo

Source: Archivio di Stato 

1964 | SERENDIPITY | CRIBERY | FLORENCE

1964 | Cribery | Florence

Showcased at the Florence Campionaria Fair

FOOTNOTE

1988 | Manolo Blahnik

Source: Heavenly Soles (Cross River Press, 1989)

1990s | Peter Fox

Source: Shoes (Workman Publishing, 1996)

1969 | FERRAGAMO | THE CASSIDA HEEL SURVIVES

As soon as the Saks Fifth Avenue exclusive run its course, the sculptured heel collection was showcased everywhere. Or at least part of it; it seems, judging by the newspaper clippings, that only two heels survived out of (the fantastic) four designed/sculpted by Ivo Barbaresi, the CASSIDA and the GEO.

Classics shapes (with crazy heels)

Source: La Stampa daily, Turin | September 6, 1969

Caption: 

Ferragamo models. From left: black and white patent leather sandal with hole in heel; model called "Talimera" with heel and arch assembly; mat white satin shoe with encrusted heel. 

Source: La Stampa daily, Turin | September 6, 1969

1967 | 1968/1969 | Ferragamo

Black calfskin and white kid with Cassida heel

© Salvatore Ferragamo S.P.A.

Source: Archivi della Moda del Nocecento

An Italian Toehold

San Francisco Chronicle | October 17, 1969

Source: Archivi della Moda del Nocecento

Caption: 

RED AND WHITE naplak is used in a clog-like open shoe with oval open heel; beige patent has black patent binding with gold eyelets and buckle. 

San Francisco Chronicle | October 17, 1969

2000 | TARUNG sandal | Ferragamo

Designed by Massimo Rigucci

Source: Archivi della Moda del Nocecento

The Ferragamo Y2K Bug

The CASSIDA heel went into oblivion until the year 2000 when someone got the idea to resurrect it with a new twist. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, so we can just say it's plain ugly. And short-lived.

More recently though, the CASSIDA lived a second life in a limited edition of 500 pairs currently out of stock at Ferragamo. We love it when these kind of things happen (not being out of stock, that is), however the misleading "winner of the 1967 Neiman Marcus award" stuck. Moreover, while they drop it, we root for another CASSIDA edition (even LTD would do it).

The Pleja model with Cassida heel | LTD edition of 500 | Detail

White Pontovo (Synthetic raffia), white calfskin

© Salvatore Ferragamo S.P.A.

UPDATE OCTOBER 20, 2015

The Fiamma Ferragamo page at ferragamo.com amended the wrong info and correctly placed the model Kalioscia as part of the Neiman Marcus winning collection; however, the online shop description of the Pleja remained untouched.

1967 | FIAMMA FERRAGAMO
THE NEIMAN-MARCUS AWARD AND THE CASSIDA HEEL

1968 | IVO BARBARESI FOR FERRAGAMO
THE SCULPTURED HEEL COLLECTION FOR SAKS FIFTH AVENUE

1947 | SALVATORE FERRAGAMO
NEIMAN-MARCUS FASHION AWARD | DALLAS

The Pleja model with Cassida heel | LTD edition of 500 pcs

White Pontovo (Synthetic raffia), white calfskin

© Salvatore Ferragamo S.P.A.

1968 | SCULPTOR IVO BARBARESI FOR FERRAGAMO | THE SCULPTURED HEEL COLLECTION FOR SAKS FIFTH AVENUE

Fiamma Ferragamo believes, as do many designers, that heels are becoming increasingly important each season. But the Ferragamo heels aren't treading the same road as most. 

"I think that the very heavy chunky look is terrible" she said, using her multi-ringed fingers to express her displeasure. "Extremes are never elegant. When you exceed a certain limit, things begin to get ugly" 

Enid Nemy | New York Times

October 10, 1968

The New York Times | October 10, 1968

Ferragamo | All made to order through Saks Fifth Avenue

Source: The New York Times

1967 | FIAMMA FERRAGAMO | DALLAS | THE NEIMAN-MARCUS AWARD #29 AND THE AMERICAN COMMITTEE FOR ITALIAN FLOOD RELIEF | PLUS A BUSTED MYTH

On Nov. 4, 1966, torrential rains and winds up to 90 miles per hours battered much of Italy, particularly Florence "The City of Flowers", situated in the valley of the Arno. 

Schenectady Gazette, NY [February 18, 1967]

FLORENCE DEVASTATED BY THE ARNO RIVER

November 1966 | La Nazione (Florentine daily) frontpage

Source: Piana Notizie

The flood of the Arno river killed 101 people and left the city in ruins. Damaged buildings, masterpieces (from monuments to books) destroyed and lost forever, artisanal shops to be rebuilt from the ground up. Still remembered today when a flood occur.

November 4, 1966 | Florence Lungarno

The Arno river on both sides

Source: Live Your Tuscany

Stanley Marcus, president of Neiman-Marcus and Dallas chairman of the American Committee of Italian Flood Relief, has designated a 1967 award to these spirited artisans "whose craftsmanship and design abilities in the fields of leather-making, ceramics, embroidery,knitting and dressmaking are famed as standards of quality throughout the world and whose numbers are so great that it is impossible to single out only one recipient." 

Schenectady Gazette, NY [February 18, 1967]

Extreme circumstances led to an unprecedented decision: all the awarded designers were from a single Country, Italy; the first time in a 29-year history of the annual award. So Marcus' designation was both gracious and clever. Also rarely recalled.

February 1967 | Dallas | From left to right:

Lydia of Rome, Giancarlo Venturini, Valentino

Fiamma Ferragamo, Emilio Pucci, Stanley Marcus

Source: Fashion Lifestyle magazine

Accepting the accolade on their behalf was Emilio Pucci, former winner, who flew to Dallas for the annual spring awards luncheon and fashion presentation. The event, to benefit the American Committee for Italian Flood Relief, was held in the grand ballroom of the Sheraton-Dallas hotel…

Also receiving awards were Fiamma Ferragamo, talented daughter of the "Shoemaker of Dreams," the late Salvatore Ferragamo; Lydia de Roma creator of Italy's hand-embroidered playclothes; Valentino of Rome, brilliant young couturier whose creations grace some of the world's most prominent women, and Giancarlo Venturini, designer who revolutionized the concept of knitted sportswear. 

Schenectady Gazette, NY [February 18, 1967]

1967 | Fiamma Ferragamo

Appearing at Dallas' Neiman-Marcus (Shoe Salon, 2nd floor)

Source: Archivi della Moda del Novecento

It can be read on the ad, right below the photo: Fiamma Ferragamo in person at the N-M Shoe Salon was To Benefit The American Committee for Italian Flood Relief. On the left, drawings of three models taken from the winning collection, two of them also shown below.

1967 | The model Kalioscia

Suede & silk

Source: Archivi della Moda del Novecento

1967 | Sketch of the model Kalioscia

Source: Archivi della Moda del Novecento

1967 | The model Folletta

Fuchsia calfskin and yellow buckskin

Source: Archivi della Moda del Novecento

1967 | Sketch of the model Folletta

Source: Archivi della Moda del Novecento

Well, two out of three models found, not too shabby. So everything is fine and dandy except for one small G L I T C H. The most famous shoe from the Neiman-Marcus winning collection - the model Pleja - IS NOT FROM the Neiman-Marcus collection, not even the same year.

1968 | Ferragamo | The model Pleja

Heel & arch assembly called Cassida

Source: ferragamo.com

The Pleja belongs to a sculptured heels-centric collection of the following year especially designed for Saks Fifth Avenue, NY, however, countless books and web sites (including ferragamo.com) think otherwise. Let's see why they are mistaken.

1967 | 1968 | The model Pleja with the Cassida heel
From: ferragamo.com

The heel & arch assembly of the Pleja is called CASSIDA and it was patented in Italy (July 1968, 17 months after the N-M award), France (January 1969) and U.S.A. (March 1970, filed December 1968). The American patent helps to identify the Florentine sculptor Ivo Barbaresi as the author.


UPDATE October 28, 2015

The Salvatore Ferragamo S.P.A has been informed about our findings and the website amended the page now featuring the model Kalioscia as the winner of the Neiman Marcus award.

Filed December 27, 1968 - Granted March 3, 1970

IVO BARBARESI | Heel For Lady's Shoe

Source: RPX Rational Patents

January 1969 | The Cassida heel & arch assembly

Wooden prototype

Source: INPI (Institute National de la Propriété Industrielle - France)

Also, to back it up with all the available info, the article "Sculptures To Walk On - Or Dance In" from the New York Times (October 10, 1968) helps seal the deal: the model Pleja is the one at the bottom, a bit grained but still ...

New York Times | October 10, 1968

Source: New York Times

1968 | SCULPTOR IVO BARBARESI FOR FERRAGAMO

THE SCULPTURED HEEL COLLECTION FOR SAKS FIFTH AVENUE

1969 | FERRAGAMO
THE CASSIDA HEEL SURVIVES

1947 | SALVATORE FERRAGAMO

NEIMAN-MARCUS FASHION AWARD | DALLAS

1966 | Fiamma Ferragamo holding the model Ilva

Source: Archivi della Moda del Novecento

A FOOTNOTE…

… which is not really a footnote. According to the online database Archivi della Moda del Novecento (20th Century Fashion Archive, Italian only) the Neiman Marcus models were drawn by Ferragamo in-house designer Carla Michelassi. If so, Carla designed the collection the first year on the job and continued to do so for the following twenty (20). She later moved to other tasks within the company (head of the creative dept./product manager) until her retirement in 2003. She spent the last leg of the Ferragamo experience as a consultant (2004-2005) before opening her own consulting studio.

We know this from her Linkedin page as there are no other information about her on the web, beside her obituary: Carla Michelassi passed away September 3, 2015. We would have liked to know more about her and her job; as for now, even if we're late, we send our sympathy to her family.

1940 | DAVID LEVIN | ARCH & HEEL ASSEMBLY

1940 | David Levin | Arch & heel assembly

Submitted March 16 - Granted April 30, 1940

Source: Google Patents

Obscure New Yorker footwear designer David Levin came up with this original arch & heel assembly design in 1940. Unfortunately there is no record of actual shoes manufactured as per drawings (yet). The only one that comes close was patented by Léandre Grégoire Renaldo two years before.

INTRODUCING
DAVID LEVIN

HEELSTORY
HEEL HISTORY IN PICTURES



FOOTNOTE

2003 | Rem Koolhaas | The model Möbius

Arch & heel assembly made of one strip of kevlar

1999| Rem Koolhass

Möbius prototype made with one strip of cardboard

Source: De Zeen magazine

RIGHT!

"Koolhaas, the nephew and namesake of architect Rem Koolhaas of OMA, came up with the Möbius shoe in 1999 while still studying architecture and was persuaded to start his own brand - United Nude - because the design "didn't look like anything [else] out there".

Source: De Zeen magazine

Late 80s/Early 90's | Lawler Duffy
Source: Nicola Lawler