Une Histoire de la Chaussure, The Red Shoes, MAD

Sometimes, by chance, a glimpse of an image opens a door to your childhood dreams. The current exhibit of shoes through history at MAD (musee des Arts Decoratif) on rue de Rivoli ends with a short video compilation of shoes in commercials and film.

The snippet of the dance sequence from the 1948 film, THE RED SHOES was the catalyst. So many little girls were deeply effected. Were you a fan? My plan was to become a ballet choreographer, costume designer and principle dancer all in one ;)) I've been painting red shoes all week.

One of my multiple careers was a shoe designer in Italy and Spain for an American company you never heard of.I fell into it (like so many of my professions) after working in fashion on 7th Avenue. Shoes are much more fun to design. You hold them in your hand like small sculptures. If you haven't designed shoes in the past you'll still enjoy the exhibit at MAD enormously.

It covers the historical evolution and political statements of design right up to today's obsession with running shoes.

Even showing you how shoes transform from wooden last to stitched finish.

Terrific graphic samples of posters selling shoes combine with the various styles.  

And Charlie Chaplin's old beat-up shoe from The Little Tramp. 

Plus a good mix of shoes in art like Delacroix's perfect painting of Moroccan embroidered babouches.

My red shoes obsession continues.

Unwearable shoes as real sculptures in strange shapes and materials. The MAD shoe exhibit is on till 22 March. If you'd like to obsess over The Red Shoes here are some lovely links:

The Red Shoes 15 minute dance sequence 

Lermontov asks "Why do you want to dance?"

The Red Shoes Trailer

Restored clip (no sound)

Victoria Page is offered her first lead role 

Three Reasons: The Red Shoes

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