Friday, February 19, 2016

1957 | JOSEPHI OF DELMAN | THE ROSE PETAL SANDAL

1957 | Flower Petal Heel by Delman
Source: The Province (Vancouver, BC) - January 9, 1957


Colored patents in flower garden yellows, pinks and blues were the newsiest entries, while at Delman's pre-luncheon shoe, the flower petal heel were the conversation piece.

I told you about these in my first article home. I discovered them on my window shopping survey the day I arrived and suspected they'd be the trend setters at Delman's party. These shoes also boast "the slimmest heels in the world made of the strongest metal in the world". Sounds more like Texas, doesn't it?

Winnifred Mather
The Province (Vancouver, BC) - January 9, 1957



1957 | Josephi/Delman | The Rose Petal Sandal
Source: Shoes Of Tomorrow | British Pathé

Several designers feature flowers appliqued on leather. Josephi of Delman, a milliner turned shoe designer, builds one shoe from a fabric rose, with petals forming the bulk of the design, the stem shaping the narrow heel. Only the sole is leather. 
Gay Pauley
United Press, New York | March 21, 1957


1957 | Josephi of Delmam
Photograph: Karen Radkai
Source: Vogue

A similar model - apparently not by Josephi - is kept at the Goldstein Museum Of Design (University of Minnesota).


1955 - 1960 (Museum date) Black Spingolator with rose heel
Source: Goldstein Museum Of Design 
University Of Minnesota (Twin Cities)


A ROSE IS A ROSE IS A ROSE

While the same concept (stem as heel) was later adopted by designers such as Pfister and Blahnik, the Frenchman Marc Rakotozanany went even further in 2003 patenting a Josephi replica.

Furthermore, the Josephi stem - a steel cylinder heel - went places, only longer.

HEELSTORY




2003 | Marc Rakotozanany | Talon en forme de fleur
Source: INPI (Institute National de la Propriété Industrielle - France)