Chopins, about 1600 (V&A Museum)
For shoe lovers, the V&A has a special treat! The Autumn 2015 exhibition Shoes: Pleasure and Pain will look at the extremes of footwear from around the globe, presenting around 200 pairs of shoes ranging from a sandal decorated in pure gold leaf originating from ancient Egypt to the most elaborate designs by contemporary makers. It will consider the cultural significance and transformative capacity of shoes and will examine the latest developments in footwear technology creating the possibility of ever higher heels and dramatic shapes. Examples from famous shoe wearers and collectors will be shown alongside a dazzling range of historic shoes, many of which have not been displayed before.
For those of us who won’t be able to get to the exhibition, the V&A has published an accompanying book and their website features a great blog which explores aspects of getting this fabulous exhibition up and running.
BLOG address: http://www.vam.ac.uk/blog/section/shoes-pleasure-and-pain
Runs 13 June 2015 – 31 January 2016 | Price: 12 pounds / Members free