V&A's 3,000-Year Shoe Collection: From Earthenware to Gravity-Defying Designs

The Victoria & Albert Museum in London houses a shoe collection of over 2,000 pairs spanning 3,000 years, showcasing human inventiveness in footwear. Highlights include 18th-century French earthenware shoes from the Savy pottery factory in Marseille, decorated with landscapes; modern geta from Kyoto (2015) with red soles reminiscent of Louboutins; 19th-century Chinese lotus shoes made for bound feet; 1950s-60s Moon Shoes inspired by the Space Race; and designs by Noritaka Tatehana, including the Raven Geta (2009) and a 2014 pair inspired by Edo-period courtesans. Also featured are Nova Shoes (2013) by Zaha Hadid and United Nude, with a 16 cm cantilever heel; Mojito Shoes (2015) by Julian Hakes, lacking a footplate; Turkish qabqab pattens (ca. 1867) inlaid with mother of pearl; and Venetian chopines (ca. 1600) that elevated wearers above others. The collection illustrates the evolution of footwear from practical protection to social status and artistic expression.