 |
| 1973 | Madrid Shoes shopfront London, Brompton Road Photograph: Pierluigi Omodeo Salé |
Sunday, October 30, 2016
Friday, October 28, 2016
1973 | JAN JANSEN FOR ITAL SHOES (CERTALDO, FLORENCE)
 |
| 1973 | Jan Jansen | Bamboo And Rattan (rotan) sandal Source: Foto Shoe magazine - February 1975 |
Jan Jansen (May, 6 1941 - Nijmegen, Nederland) started his career in
Rome at Bruno Ferrarese's boutique "Follie". Back to Amsterdam in 1964,
he opened his own shop called "Jeannot"; ten years later he had already a
museum show under his belt (1969), a contract with Madrid Shoes (a
cartel of 15 Spanish footwear companies) and a deal with two Italian shoemakers, Gaby (from Alseno, Piacenza) and Ital Shoes (from Certaldo,
Florence).
The bamboo and rattan sandal featured here was designed with the help of Ital Shoes' owner Raffaello Galgani.
The bamboo and rattan sandal featured here was designed with the help of Ital Shoes' owner Raffaello Galgani.
 |
| 1973 | Jan Jansen for Ital Shoes (Certaldo, Florence) Source: Foto Shoe magazine - April 1975 |
 |
| 1964 - 1974 | Jan Jansen 10th Anniversary poster | detail Source: Foto Shoe magazine - February 1975 |
 |
| 1973 | Jan Jansen How to do it Source: © Jan Jansen |
 |
| 1973 | Jan Jansen Banboo And Rattan sandal Source: © Jan Jansen |
The renowed Dutch And Leather Shoe Museum probably hosts the biggest Jan Jansen collection, besides
Jansen himself - and the Banboo And Rattan sandal is part of it. In addition, the museum managed to bust one of the usual suspects doing their thing (below).
 |
| 1973 | Jan Jansen | Bamboo and Rattan Sandal Source: Dutch Leather & Shoe Museum |
 |
| Jan Jansen (1973) VS Prada (2009) Source: Dutch Leather & Shoe Museum |
ITALIAN SHOES AT THE DUTCH LEATHER & SHOE MUSEUM
ERCO (VIGEVANO)
C.L.A.M.S. (BOLOGNA)
VINCENZO VALENTINO (NAPLES)
CLEOPATRA (VIGEVANO)
 |
| 1975 | Ital Shoes' owners Laura And Raffaello Galgani Source: Source: Foto Shoe magazine - April 1975 |
 |
| 1964 - 1974 | Jan Jansen 10th Anniversary poster Source: Foto Shoe magazine - February 1975 |
Wednesday, October 26, 2016
1972 | TITANO | CERRO MAGGIORE, MILAN
 |
| 1972 | Titano sportswear Cerro Maggiore, Milan Source: Moda In Pelle magazine #17, June 1972 |
 |
| 1972 | Titano sportswear Cerro Maggiore, Milan Source: Zaffaroni Collection |
 |
| 1972 | Titano sportswear | detail Cerro Maggiore, Milan Source: Zaffaroni Collection |
1972 | TITANO
AT THE 26TH BOLOGNA FOOTWEAR FAIR
TITANO
(CERRO MAGGIORE, MILAN)
I N D E X
 |
| 1972 | Titano sportswear | Sole detail ART. 4755, braid rubber sole Source: Zaffaroni Collection |
Monday, October 24, 2016
1971 | EVA SABBATINI FOR BATA & BAYER
 |
| 1971 | Eva Sabbatini For Bata | Leather & Bayer's Arteb man-made fur | detail Boots manufactured by the shoemaker Grazia (Strà, Venice) Source: Foto Shoe magazine |
 |
| 1971 | Eva Sabbatini For Bata | Leather & Bayer's Arteb man-made fur Boots manufactured by the shoemaker Grazia (Strà, Venice) Source: Foto Shoe magazine |
 |
| 1971 | Eva Sabbatini For Bata | Leather & Bayer's Arteb man-made fur Boots manufactured by the shoemaker Grazia (Strà, Venice) Source: Foto Shoe magazine |
 |
| 1971 | Eva Sabbatini For Bata | Leather & Bayer's Arteb man-made fur Boots manufactured by the shoemaker Grazia (Strà, Venice) Source: Foto Shoe magazine |
1971 | EVA SABBATINI
THE COMPLETE PIRELLI'S "DOVA" COLLECTION | FEAT. SALVATORE DEODATO
1972 | EVA SABBATINI & SALVATORE DEODATO
FOR BAYER'S JERSEY ULTRAPAN
 |
| 1971 | Eva Sabbatini For Bayer & Bata |
Saturday, October 22, 2016
1950 | DELMAN | DIGGING GOLD & DIRT
 |
| 1950 | Delman Gold sandal | Detail Source: LIFE magazine |
… gold sandals whose soles are molded of one piece of leather that hugs the instep and toes without covering them. (Delman, $38.95)
Source: LIFE | December 11, 1950
 |
| December 11, 1950 From: Gold-Plated Fashions LIFE magazine |
24-CARAT cocktail costume (Toni Owen; top $30, skirt $45) is worn with jeweled coil necklace, bracelet (Trifari; $35 and $25)
Source: LIFE | December 11, 1950
No actual shoe can be found, all the same, a gold sandal from the MET collection looks strikingly similar and fits the following description down to a T:
A spectacular gold kid shoe which Mr. Delman calls "Twenty-First Century" is made of gold kid in one piece of leather. It's a flat that wraps the foot and is held on with velvet. It weights three ounces and has no stitching.
Source: Hartford Courant (Hartford, Connecticut)July 11, 1950
 |
| 1 Leather, silk | Gift of Herman Delman Source: Metropolitan Museum of Art |
1933 | DELMAN SHOES by Margaret Bourke-White
1934 | ERTÉ [ROMAIN DE TIRTOFF] FOR DELMAN'S SHOES | MET, NY
1960 | THE HEEL ACCORDING TO DELMAN
FOOTNOTE
The "one piece of leather sandal" seems a novel idea but it was featured in the Summer 1948 in the Italian magazine URIC although the maker remained unknown (All the details here). And lest we forget Armenian master Sarkis Der Balian: the Musée de la Chaussure (Romans sur Isère) dates his "single piece of leather sandal" 1950 - 1960 (much like MET's 1940 - 1949) - but they've been wrong before. Both museums.
 |
| 1948 | Sandals with overturned sole URIC magazine #77, Summer 1948 |
 |
| 1950/1960 | Sarkis Der Balian © Romans; Musée international de la Chaussure © Direction des Musées de France, 2007 - Photograph: © Christophe Villard |
Thursday, October 20, 2016
1971 | LUCIANO BRANCAGLION FOR PIRELLI - REDONA
At the turn of the 60s and the beginning of the 70s of the last century, new man-made materials seemed the new way of the footwear industry and the best opportunity for designers to experiment.
Top shoe designers decided to exploit the possibilities offered by Du Pont's Corfam (Andrea Pfister, Roger Vivier) or by the domestic (Italian) Laskina (Celestino’s, Armando Pollini, Nick Spiccia), Crespor, Corexal (Armando Pollini), Aerlak (François Villon) and Vifra (Celestino’s) just to mention a few trade brands.
Negli anni fra la fine dei Sessanta e l’inizio dei Settanta del secolo scorso, i nuovi materiali sintetici sembravano incarnare la nuova via del settore calzaturiero e quella più adatta alla sperimentazione dei designer.
Designers di livello si prestavano ad interpretare le possibilità offerte dal Corfam della Du Pont (Andrea Pfister, Roger Vivier) o anche dalle italiane Laskina (Celestino’s, Armando Pollini, Nick Spiccia), Crespor, Corexal (Armando Pollini), Aerlak (François Villon) e Vifra (Celestino’s) solo per citare alcuni dei più noti.
Top shoe designers decided to exploit the possibilities offered by Du Pont's Corfam (Andrea Pfister, Roger Vivier) or by the domestic (Italian) Laskina (Celestino’s, Armando Pollini, Nick Spiccia), Crespor, Corexal (Armando Pollini), Aerlak (François Villon) and Vifra (Celestino’s) just to mention a few trade brands.
Negli anni fra la fine dei Sessanta e l’inizio dei Settanta del secolo scorso, i nuovi materiali sintetici sembravano incarnare la nuova via del settore calzaturiero e quella più adatta alla sperimentazione dei designer.
Designers di livello si prestavano ad interpretare le possibilità offerte dal Corfam della Du Pont (Andrea Pfister, Roger Vivier) o anche dalle italiane Laskina (Celestino’s, Armando Pollini, Nick Spiccia), Crespor, Corexal (Armando Pollini), Aerlak (François Villon) e Vifra (Celestino’s) solo per citare alcuni dei più noti.
 |
| 1971 | Man-made leather called AREX Manufactured by Pirelli (Milano) & Redona (Bergamo) Source: Foto Shoe magazine |
1965 Oscar-winning designer Luciano Brancaglion was also involved in the synthetic revolution and said to Foto Shoe magazine in 1971:
"When it comes to materials, I go for the synthetic, so much that only 40% of my collections will be made in leather."
Here below some of the 1971 models developed for Pirelli-Redona and two drawings made for heel maker Plastak.
Luciano Brancaglion, designer premiato con l’Oscar della calzatura dall’accademia torinese nel 1965, si era orientato a sua volta sul sintetico e dichiarava a Foto-Shoe nel 1971:
“In merito ai materiali, io opto per il sintetico, tant’è vero che solo il 40% delle mie collezioni sarà realizzato in pelle”.
Qui vediamo alcuni dei modelli sviluppati nel 1971 per Pirelli-Redona e i disegni realizzati per il tacchificio Plastak.
"When it comes to materials, I go for the synthetic, so much that only 40% of my collections will be made in leather."
Here below some of the 1971 models developed for Pirelli-Redona and two drawings made for heel maker Plastak.
Luciano Brancaglion, designer premiato con l’Oscar della calzatura dall’accademia torinese nel 1965, si era orientato a sua volta sul sintetico e dichiarava a Foto-Shoe nel 1971:
“In merito ai materiali, io opto per il sintetico, tant’è vero che solo il 40% delle mie collezioni sarà realizzato in pelle”.
Qui vediamo alcuni dei modelli sviluppati nel 1971 per Pirelli-Redona e i disegni realizzati per il tacchificio Plastak.
 |
1971 | Luciano Brancaglion
Boots made in Arex (synthetic leather) for Pirelli-Redona
Source: Foto-Shoe magazine
|
 |
1971 | Luciano Brancaglion
Boots made in Arex (synthetic leather) for Pirelli-Redona
Source: Foto-Shoe magazine |
 |
| 1971 | Luciano Brancaglion boot designs éventail heel for heel maker Plastak (Morazzone, Varese) Source: Foto-Shoe magazine |
1965 TURIN | OSCAR AWARDS
LUCIANO BRANCAGLION
1967 | LUCIANO BRANCAGLION
AT THE NEDERLANDS LEDER EN SCHOENEN MUSEUM
 |
| 1971 | Man-made leather called AREX Manufactured by Pirelli (Milano) & Redona (Bergamo) Source: Foto Shoe magazine |
Tuesday, October 18, 2016
1959 | FRATELLI DAINESI | VIGEVANO
 |
| 1959 | Fratelli Dainesi Vigevano Source: Vigevano International Trade Fair catalog |
 |
| 1959 | Brunis, Fratelli Dainesi & Waltea All from Vigevano Source: Vigevano International Trade Fair catalog |
 |
| 1959 | Fratelli Dainesi Vigevano Source: Vigevano International Trade Fair catalog |
FRATELLI DAINESI
1961
 |
| 1959 | Fratelli Dainesi Vigevano Source: Vigevano International Trade Fair catalog |
Sunday, October 16, 2016
SNEAKER PIMP (DEFINITION OF). A WHAT?? | TBAMFW # 25
 |
| Benny Page Smeaker Pimp Split 12" W/Rhythm Beater (Cutterz Choice, 2004) |
Sneaker Pimp
ˈsniːkə/pɪmp/
ˈsniːkə/pɪmp/
1. A fraudulent person
… I see corporate hands up in foreign lands
With the man behind the man gettin' paid behind the man
I hold the rocket stop the hand in my pocket
Two hundred a pair but I'm addicted to the gear
They'll make me do things on the court to amaze ya
I heard they make em for a buck 8 in Asia
They came a long way baby since
Clyde Frazier had Pumas, pullin' mad consumers
Them Filas I'm feelin' but I can't touch the ceiling
Them New Balance hits a hundred and twenty million
The last thing I need is Adidas terminatin' my contract
For wearing those old pair of wack
Reebok low tops covered up by floppy socks ...
From: Politics Of The Sneaker Pimps
by Public Enemy (He Got Game - Def Jam Recordings, 1998)
With the man behind the man gettin' paid behind the man
I hold the rocket stop the hand in my pocket
Two hundred a pair but I'm addicted to the gear
They'll make me do things on the court to amaze ya
I heard they make em for a buck 8 in Asia
They came a long way baby since
Clyde Frazier had Pumas, pullin' mad consumers
Them Filas I'm feelin' but I can't touch the ceiling
Them New Balance hits a hundred and twenty million
The last thing I need is Adidas terminatin' my contract
For wearing those old pair of wack
Reebok low tops covered up by floppy socks ...
From: Politics Of The Sneaker Pimps
by Public Enemy (He Got Game - Def Jam Recordings, 1998)
 |
| Painfield This Time (Good Head, 2003) |
"I'm not hiding," Sonny Vaccaro told a closed hearing at the Willard Hotel in Washington, D.C., in 2001. "We want to put our materials on the bodies of your athletes, and the best way to do that is buy your school. Or buy your coach."
The Knight Foundation, a nonprofit that takes an interest in college athletics as part of its concern with civic life, had tasked them with saving college sports from runaway commercialism as embodied by the likes of Vaccaro, who, since signings his pioneering shoes contract with Michael Jordan in 1984, had built sponsorship empires successively at Nike, Adidas, and Reebok.
Not all the members could hide their scorn for the "sneaker pimp" of schoolyard hustle, who boasted of writing checks for millions to everybody in higher education.
Taylor Branch
From: The Cartel: Inside the Rise and Imminent Fall of the NCAA (Byliner, 2011)
The Knight Foundation, a nonprofit that takes an interest in college athletics as part of its concern with civic life, had tasked them with saving college sports from runaway commercialism as embodied by the likes of Vaccaro, who, since signings his pioneering shoes contract with Michael Jordan in 1984, had built sponsorship empires successively at Nike, Adidas, and Reebok.
Not all the members could hide their scorn for the "sneaker pimp" of schoolyard hustle, who boasted of writing checks for millions to everybody in higher education.
Taylor Branch
From: The Cartel: Inside the Rise and Imminent Fall of the NCAA (Byliner, 2011)
 |
| Hard Evidence Last One Standing 12" (Rebellion Records/Longshot Music, 2014) |
Sneaker Pimp
ˈsniːkə/pɪmp/
ˈsniːkə/pɪmp/
(The band) Sneaker Pimps take their name from a posse employed by The Beastie Boys to make trainer-buying runs to New York. The Beasties' Mike Diamond turned up at one of the Sneakers' LA gigs (1996), although, according to (Sneaker Pimps') Liam Howe, he doesn't remember coining the term ("He did say it though - on The Word" (UK TV show on Channel 4).
Source: Sneaker Pimps Box
Spin magazine referred to Ad-Rock (Beaties Boys's Adam Horovitz) as "The Original Sneaker Pimp"
[September 1998 issue]
Source: Sneaker Pimps Box
Spin magazine referred to Ad-Rock (Beaties Boys's Adam Horovitz) as "The Original Sneaker Pimp"
[September 1998 issue]
 |
| Tiparrakers Luego Estamos (DIY, 2012) |
Ever since being twelve years old, I have collected sneakers. Hence the need for a shoe room at the house. I am a self-confessed "sneaker pimp" who has OCD when it comes to both my and other people's footwear.
Taboo (Of The Black Eyed Peas)
From: Fallin' Up (Touchstone, 2011)
Taboo (Of The Black Eyed Peas)
From: Fallin' Up (Touchstone, 2011)
 |
| WE Violently Coloured Sneakers CD (Voices Of Wonder Records, 1996) |
SHOES ON RECORD JACKETS
 |
| Foghat Tight Shoes (Bearsville, 1980) |
 |
| Foghat Tight Shoes (Bearsville, 1980) | Back Cover |
Friday, October 14, 2016
1962 | VIBRAM ET AL
 |
| 1962 | Vibram (Albizzate, Varese) Defies time |
 |
| 1962 | Fratelli Rossi (Stra, Venice) Outsole by Vibram Source: Novus magazine |
 |
| 1962 | Lario (Cirimido, Como) Outsole by Vibram Source: Novus magazine |
 |
| 1962 | Pupa (Vigevano) Outsole by Vibram Source: Novus magazine |
 |
| 1962 | Prater (Crocetta Del Montello, Treviso) Outsole by Vibram Source: Novus magazine |
 |
| 1962 | Prater (Crocetta Del Montello, Treviso) Outsole by Vibram Source: Novus magazine |
 |
| 1962 | Cornuda (Cornuda, Treviso) Outsole by Vibram Source: Novus magazine |
CUTTING EDGE DESIGN
THE JAGGED SOLE [A.K.A. RIPPLE SOLE]
 |
| 1962 | Nordica (Montebelluna, Treviso) Outsole by Vibram Source: Novus magazine |
Wednesday, October 12, 2016
1960 | PRECIOSA HEELLESS SANDAL (PATENTED BY ROMEO GRIFFI)
 |
1960 | Préciosa by Heyraud
Sandal with cantilever heel, a design patented by Romeo Griffi
Bertrand Heyraud's private collection
Source: Bertrand Heyraud "5000 ans de Chaussures" Parkstone Press 1994
|
"La mode tyrannique du talon aiguille règnera, omnipotente, pendant les années soixante, avec cepedant un curieux contrepoint que fut, pendant une saison, la chaussure sans talon."
Bertrand Heyraud
5000 ans de chaussure | Parkstone Press 1994
"The fashion tyranny of the stiletto reigned supreme during the Sixties, with a curious counterpoint that was, for a season, the heelless shoe."
Bertrand Heyraud
5000 ans de chaussure | Parkstone Press 1994
Bertrand Heyraud
5000 ans de chaussure | Parkstone Press 1994
"The fashion tyranny of the stiletto reigned supreme during the Sixties, with a curious counterpoint that was, for a season, the heelless shoe."
Bertrand Heyraud
5000 ans de chaussure | Parkstone Press 1994
 |
1960 | Sandal Préciosa by Heyraud | Detail
Source: Bertrand Heyraud "5000 ans de Chaussures" Parkstone Press 1994 |
Well, for a season or two: the fashion of the heel-less shoe based on a cantilever system was the sensation at the turn of the Fifties and Sixties. Even if it's true that it didn't last long, Hayraud forgot to say that the idea is resurrected from time to time. He also didn't mention that Préciosa used an Italian patent, however, on the sole of the sandal published in his book we can read "Italy Gr...", meaning shoe inventor Romeo Griffi (1958). More about Griffi's idea here.
 |
1960 | Preciosa by Heyraud pump and its miniature reprodution
An application of the cantilever heel design patented by Romeo Griffi
Source: Bertrand Heyraud "5000 ans de Chaussures" Parkstone Press 1994
|
 |
| April 27, 1959 Natale Ferrario showcase at the Milan's Trade Fair (Griffi patent) Source: Publifoto/Lombardia Beni Culturali |
 |
| April 27, 1959 Natale Ferrario window display at the Milan's Trade Fair Griffi Brevetto Mondiale (Griffi World Patent) can be seen on the window's top left corner Source: Publifoto/Lombardia Beni Culturali |
It goes without saying that the goldmine of Italian shoes known as Dutch Leather & Shoe Museum (Nederlands Leder En Schoenen Museum) hosts in its collection two Italian heelless, one from Ferrario and the other from Marazzini (both from Parabiago's Milan). Another TH favourite - Russia's Shoe Icon - sports a very rare Salvatore Ferragamo's Florentina's (below).
 |
| 1959 | Natale Ferrario Source: Nederlands Leder En Schoenen Museum Courtesy: Curator/PR Inge Specht-den Boer |
 |
| 1959 | Marazzini Source: Nederlands Leder En Schoenen Museum Courtesy: Curator/PR Inge Specht-den Boer |
 |
| Florentina's by Salvatore Ferragamo Source: Shoe Icons |
THE HEEL-LESS SHOE
1958 | The Heel-Less Shoe
Natale Ferrario & Manolo Blahnik
Part 1
1947 | The Heel-Less Shoe
Martin Friedmann, Jr & Manolo Blahnik
Part 2
1958 | The Heel-Less Shoe
Romeo Griffi Et Al
Part 3
HEELSTORY
HEEL HISTORY IN PICTURES
1958 | The Heel-Less Shoe
Natale Ferrario & Manolo Blahnik
Part 1
1947 | The Heel-Less Shoe
Martin Friedmann, Jr & Manolo Blahnik
Part 2
1958 | The Heel-Less Shoe
Romeo Griffi Et Al
Part 3
HEELSTORY
HEEL HISTORY IN PICTURES
FOOTNOTE
Our (SHOE ICONS) collection of cantilever shoes contains three pairs manufactured, as printed on the label, under the licence from Griffi, As I found out later, Romeo Griffi was granted a UK patent for cantilever design on June 10, 1958. US patent US2958962 (A) was issued in 1961.
Heelless cantilever shoes under the licence of Griffi were produced in Italy by companies like Natale Ferrario and some were made expressly for Kempners - well-known shoe store in Little Rock, Arkansas.
Shoe Icons'owner Nazim Mustafaev
From: Tricks Of The Eye (THE Heel-less Shoe History)
Tricks Of The Eye is a very thorough research from the very first heel-less (Perugia) to the countless variations over the years. It also made clear that the MET date of the Chas A. Stevens hell-less needs to be amended.
 |