Victoria and Albert Museum’s famed shoe exhibit will finally set foot in Asia

Sep 6, 2017

Caroline Groves’ ‘Parakeet’ shoes made from leather and silk satin with solid silver talons, heel tips and feathers, in 2014.

‘Shoes: Pleasure and Pain’ features more than 140 pairs of shoes from around the world, including footwear from iconic designers such as Christian Louboutin, Jimmy Choo and Karl Lagerfeld

The Victoria and Albert Museum in London is bringing the highly acclaimed exhibition, “Shoes: Pleasure and Pain”, to Asia for the first time.

The exhibition, which debuted in London in 2015, features more than 140 pairs of shoes from around the world and from as far back as the 1370s.

Coxton Shoe Company men’s shoes made with gilded and marbled leather in 1925. Photos: Victoria and Albert Museum

Atalanta Weller’s ‘Scotty’ boots, made in 2010.

Visitors can catch a glimpse of footwear created by legendary designers, including Salvatore Ferragamo, Saint Laurent, Christian Louboutin, Jimmy Choo, Vivienne Westwood, Roger Vivier, Karl Lagerfeld and Zaha Hadid.

Roger Vivier’s evening shoes with beaded silk and leather for Christian Dior in 1974.

Nova shoes by Zaha Hadid for United Nude, dated 2013.

Shoes owned by, or associated with, international celebrities such as David Beckham, Kylie Minogue, The Queen Mother and Elton John will also be on display – as will the notorious pair of Vivienne Westwood platforms that caused supermodel Naomi Campbell to stumble on the catwalk in 1993.

The exhibition, curated by Helen Persson, explores the transformative power of footwear and how it has been used to express personality and capture identity throughout history.