If That Shoe Fits

They were the very first thing I saw as I walked through the door. They were gorgeous. Artfully placed on the floor alongside some books and a shopping bag, the red stilettos, were made of shiny leather and very high, needle-thin heels. French no doubt or Italian perhaps. Early 1950s or mid 1980s? Pointing to them I whispered reverentially to Elizabeth my host at the shoe museum: “Are they part of an exhibit?”

She threw back her head and laughed, “No, those are my shoes.”

Elizabeth Semmelheck is senior curator at the Bata Shoe Museum in downtown Toronto, and ‘an expert on stilettos to boot (pun intended). She has studied high heels for the past 12 years and authored a book titled Heights of Fashion: A History of the Elevated Shoe, where she has traced the continued appeal of high heels among women and men over the centuries.

Dressed to Kill : Stilleto designed by Givenchy 1985-1989

“Given that this is a shoe museum, there must be a lot of pressure on everyone who works here to wear the best foot wear. Or at least wear shoes that have some character,” I wondered out loud. “There is pressure yes, but not from the office or co-workers... just mostly from visitors like you,” she said with a grin.

- Can anyone blame me? I had just entered a multi-storey building which houses more than 12,000 artifacts which in clude shoes, stockings, and buckles — basically everything that is related to footwear. Even the children’s book section in the museum shop plays along with the theme: Puss in Boots, Cinderella, and our own Musharraf Ali Farooqi’s The Cobbler’s Holiday or Why Ants Don’t Wear Shoes.

Surely this must be ‘a unique, one-of-a-kind collection. “No, there are other shoe museums around the world. The two most important ones being in Romans, France, and North Hampton, England. Both towns were once major centres of shoemaking.”

. Back here in Toronto, what is the oldest item in the collection? “Egyptian funerary shoes that go back 4,500 years. The most expensive? “I’m afraid I can’t divulge that.” The most popular shoes? “Those would probably be Elton John’s platform boots. Princess Diana’s shoes also attract many visitors.” And your favourite shoes? “I have a soft spot for every exhibit we set up here,” she responded judiciously.

“Gender is a factor when it comes to shoes, isn’t it,” I persisted, “women have a greater variety to choose from and wear.” “That is mostly true yes, but the choice available to men has broadened because of the Sneaker Culture that started in the 1980s.” Air Jordan, Nike, Adidas, and other such sport shoe manufacturers have found a strong following among men and boys. They keep abreast of the latest styles and experiment with different designs. “Colors too,” Elizabeth added. “It became okay for men to wear bright pink sneakers.”

Lotus Shoes : Such as those worn by chinese women 

“In these times especially, when clothing has been demo cratised thanks to retailers like GAP, shoes make all the difference. For both men and women. One woman dresses in jeans, t-shirt and sneakers. Another wears the same jeans and t-shirt with high heels. Shoes can work as accessories that help to express individuality.”

Lost and found : Nizam Sikandar Jah throne slippers c.1803

Speaking of individuals, a pair of mojaris (khussas) that are said to be owned by Nizam Sikander Jah of Hyderabad (r. 1803-1829) are housed at the museum. Encrusted with gold embroidery and traditional polki jewels, the slippers were not used for actual walking but rather worn only when the ruler was seated on his throne. They offer a tiny glimpse of the enormous wealth that was enjoyed by the Asaf Jahi dynasty during the two centuries of its existence.

In January 2006, his exalted highness’s shoes became the subject of a much publicized theft — and an equally dramatic return. A gang of thieves managed to lift the golden footwear while it was on display and sneaked it out of the building. Shortly after accomplishing this feat, they took photographs of their booty and brought them to a nearby photo shop to be developed. It was the same photo shop that was used by the museum. The staff recognized the shoes, discreetly took photographs of the customer who brought them in and contacted the police. The mojaris were recovered not long afterwards.

“The human foot is the same, but what we put on it is different and also illuminating from a cultural standpoint. Men, women, children, and even little babies wear some kind of footwear.” They may be everyday shoes or shoes that are especially bought for special occasions. Shoes are not just indicators of the style which was popular at a particular period in time; they c also represent the social movements and political milieu of the time.

Take the stiletto for example. In Heights of Fashion Elizabeth explains how Roger Viver first created them in 1954. Although high heels had been worn long before this, the very thin high heel — stiletto means ‘little knife’ in Italian

— became possible only after World War II. “Thanks to war time technology, a strong metal rod enabled needle-thin heels to support the carefully balanced weight of a woman without breaking.”

Platform boots worn by sir Eltonjohn c.1974

Ever since, thin high heels have defined femininity like no other object. No handbag or piece of jewellery can compete with the high heel as an icon of female power. Albeit a hyper sexualized female power. Think Bond girls and Playboy bunnies — flats and flip flops do not come to mind. And in terms of physical pain and hampered mobility, high heels may even be seen as a modern version of foot-binding that was once forced upon women in is that enough to kick the heel habit? Not likely.