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killer heels
September 10, 2014

The Craziest ‘Killer Heels’ of All Time

By Erica Schwiegershausen

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Today “Killer Heels: The Art of the High-Heeled Shoe” opens at the Brooklyn Museum. The show explores the historical and cultural significance of heels from the 17th century to now, and includes over 160 heels, from early Italian chopines and embroidered silk Chinese Manchu platforms to the Balenciaga block heel, a pair of red, studded, knee-high Louboutin boots, and even Marilyn Monroe’s own Salvatore Ferragamo stilettos.

“Platform shoes go back almost 2,000 years — even before the Renaissance,” explains Lisa Small, who curated the show. “They’ve been around since the first century B.C., if not earlier. There are these amazing little statues of Aphrodite wearing these enormous platform shoes.” What’s interesting, Small says, is that while styles and traditions have changed — in some cases, drastically: when high heels were first introduced to Western fashion in the 16th century, they were worn exclusively by men — their cultural significance has remained fairly consistent. “Historically and sociologically, they’ve always been associated with notions of privilege, status, and power.”

Throughout the ages, high heels have also been something of an engineering conundrum. “Even in the 18th century, there were points where heels were getting to be, like, five inches or so — but it was always a challenge to get heels that high that were also somewhat stable,” Small says. “Stilettos were almost willed into existence — it wasn’t until 1950 that they would make a reliably strong stiletto heel, with extruded steel in the heel itself.”

Yet despite these practical obstacles — paired with the fact that high heels have never been particularly conducive to movement — they’ve never seemed in any danger of disappearing. “There’s always going to be that power, that aura,” says Small. “With fashion cycles, it seems like everyone is always like, ‘It’s all about flats this season’ — but high heels aren’t going anywhere.”

In addition to the shoes themselves, the exhibit also features six short videos commissioned by the museum especially for the show — all loosely inspired by high heels — by a diverse set of filmmakers, including Nick Knight, Steven Klein, Marilyn Minter, and Rashaad Newsome. (You can preview Newsome’s video, “Knot,” here.) Click through the slideshow for a preview of the shoes on display, ranging from conceptual designs by Rem Koolhaas to Vivienne Westwood’s “Super Gille” to evening slippers by Christian Dior.

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The 50 Wildest, Most Torturous Shoes of All Time
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1 / 27 Photos
Christian Louboutin "Metropolis," Fall/Winter 2010–11. Calfskin and silver spikes. Photo: Courtesy of the Brooklyn Museum
Prada Wedge Sandal in Rosso, Bianco, and Nero Leather, Spring/Summer 2012. Photo: Courtesy of the Brooklyn Museum
Balenciaga Block Heel, Spring 2013. Photo: Courtesy of the Brooklyn Museum
Vivienne Westwood "Super Elevated Gille," 1993. Photo: Courtesy of the Brooklyn Museum
Salvatore Ferragamo Platform sandal, 1983. Leather, cork. Photo: Courtesy of the Brooklyn Museum
André Perugia Evening Sandals, 1928–29. Leather, metal. Photo: Lea Christiano/Courtesy of the Brooklyn Museum
Rem D. Koolhaas "Eamz," 2004. Photo: Courtesy of the Brooklyn Museum
Nicholas Kirkwood Pumps, Spring/Summer 2013. Suede with gold and clear Swarovski crystals. Photo: Courtesy of the Brooklyn Museum
Victor Platform Sandal, circa 1940. Leather. Photo: Lea Christiano/Courtesy of the Brooklyn Museum
Aperalï "Geisha Lines," Fall 2013. Leather. Photo: Courtesy of the Brooklyn Museum
Beth Levine, Herbert Levine Inc. "Kabuki" Evening Shoe, 1965. Silk, metal, wood. Photo: Lea Christiano/Courtesy of the Brooklyn Museum
Casuccio e Scalera per Loris Azzaro Sandal, 1974–79 Leather, synthetic material, cotton. Photo: Bata Shoe Museum/Courtesy of the Brooklyn Museum
Char Har Lee "Blade Heel," 2010. Perspex, stainless steel, leather. Photo: Courtesy of the Brooklyn Museum
Chinese Manchu 19th Century. Cotton, embroidered satin-silk weave. Photo: Courtesy of the Brooklyn Museum
Christian Dior and Roger Vivier for House of Dior Evening Slippers, 1960. Silk, metal, synthetic, glass. Photo: Courtesy of the Brooklyn Museum
Christian Louboutin "Printz," Spring/Summer 2013–14. Photo: Courtesy of the Brooklyn Museum
Walter Steiger "Unicorn Tayss," Spring 2013. Photo: Courtesy of the Brooklyn Museum
French Boots 1900–20. Leather, cellulose. Photo: Courtesy of the Brooklyn Museum
Iris van Herpen x United Nude. "Beyond Wilderness," 2013. Photo: Courtesy of the Brooklyn Museum
French Shoes 1690–1700. Silk, leather. Photo: Courtesy of the Brooklyn Museum
Italian Chopine 1550–1650. Silk, metal. Photo: Lea Christiano/Courtesy of the Brooklyn Museum
JANTAMINIAU "L'image Tranquille," 2013. Photo: Courtesy of the Brooklyn Museum
Miu Miu "Cammeo Baroque," Leather Wedge, Fall/Winter 2006. Photo: Courtesy of the Brooklyn Museum
Zaha Hadid x United Nude "NOVA," 2013. Chromed vinyl rubber, kid Nappa leather, fiberglass. Photo: Courtesy of the Brooklyn Museum
Noritaka Tatehana "Atom," 2012–13. Faux leather. Photo: Courtesy of the Brooklyn Museum
Roger Vivier "Virgule Houndstooth," Fall 2014. Calf hair. Photo: Courtesy of the Brooklyn Museum
Winde Rienstra "Bamboo Heel," 2012. Bamboo, glue, plastic cable ties. Photo: Courtesy of the Brooklyn Museum
1 / 27

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  • brooklyn museum
  • lisa small
  • louboutins
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  • vivienne westwood
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