Friday Shoe History Corner: Ferragamo platforms

This shoe seems to be the go-to choice for calendar and shoe history book illustrations everywhere. I get why. It’s so much fun to look at. And when you think that it comes from 1938 and looks like it could have been on the feet of any 1970s Studio 54 dancer, its forward-thinking style is that much more impressive. This is one of the earliest platform shoes ever made, by the incomparable Salvatore Ferragamo, who is credited with ”inventing” the platform shoe, and it lives at the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Costume Institute. Elton John must drool over this one.

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11 Responses to “Friday Shoe History Corner: Ferragamo platforms” »

1. jas
   December 26th, 2007 at 10:47 am

   who cares if they’re fun to look at??? they’re ridiculous and clearly not high fashion. they look as if they were made of clay as a asecond-grade art project, and then someone very clumsily stitched on some faux leather straps as an afterthought, thinking something like “i guess i’ll make ‘em shoes.”
   maybe in a glass box in an eccentric museum (which i’m totally for, by the way, with no sarcasm whatsoever) but never on the runways in milan. sorry.

2. Taylor
   February 21st, 2008 at 8:15 am

   these shoes reallllllyyy scare my friend, Sarah, and I….they look like those old popsicles that they had a longggg time ago…..seriously look at them they look like clay or marshmellows or something….haha get rid of them plzzzzz :p bye bye

3. Sarah
   February 21st, 2008 at 8:19 am

   ok these are the absolute ugliest shoes ever. me and my friend taylor are like laughing soo hard about these ones. they are like sooo ugly and anyone who wears them is like gay haha. well they are uglyy!
   Peacee

4. Nicole
   February 21st, 2008 at 8:20 am

   these shoes are 100% GROSS……I think they don’t even DISERVE to go on the run waysss. I mean look at them they look like clay…or marshmellows….or a popsicle. Who ever made these shoes I think their either blind or have NO SKILL at shoe-making at alll…..i think these should get out of this website and the person that made them needs to get a LIFE and if anyone does wear these i’ll lmao

5. Lara
   March 22nd, 2008 at 5:28 am

   …some people just have no appreciation for history, I guess.

6. izzy
   April 21st, 2008 at 11:55 am

   Hey, Ferragamo was a genius. These shoes are pretty hot… fun and exciting, unlike all you boring prudes.

7. izzy
   April 21st, 2008 at 11:56 am

   oh and you spelled DESERVE wrong, Nicole.

8. anna
   May 2nd, 2008 at 9:32 pm

   izzy, i agree with you salvatore was so ahead of the time, nicole, im embarrassed for you, you need to do your research before you insult one of the greatest shoe designers in the history of footwear, who by the way, made custom shoes for marilyn monroe. so, i think you should get your facts straight before you speak.

9. hjelje
   May 4th, 2008 at 6:13 am

   Regarding comments about them ‘not being fit for catwalks’- have you seen catwalk and high fashion in the last few seasons alone? Dior brought out some seriously crazy suits and shoes recently, Kenzo produced some amazingly huge, ruffely and impractical knitwear and , well…anything by Vivian Westwood. Fashion is about experimentation. These shoes are fun, fabulous, and yes- completely rediculous.
   Two thumbs up

10. Jackie
    August 15th, 2008 at 9:01 pm

    i think they look Funk

11. Jackie
    August 15th, 2008 at 9:01 pm

    i think they look Funky

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