Shoes: Anatomy, Identity, Magic

Shoes: Anatomy, Identity, Magic highlights more than 300 pairs of shoes from the museum’s permanent collection of 5,000 shoes. Following the success of the MFIT exhibitions Shoes: A Lexicon of Style (1999) and Shoe Obsession (2013), this exhibition provides its own rich narrative on the enduring cultural significance of shoes, while showcasing the museum’s world-class collection of footwear.

The museum’s earliest shoes date from the 17th century (a pair of high-heeled men’s shoes). The most recent are spectacular 21st-century footwear. Featured labels include Alaïa, Manolo Blahnik, Chanel, Ferragamo, Christian Louboutin, Alexander McQueen, Prada, Noritaka Tatehana, Iris van Herpen, and Roger Vivier, among others.

The exhibition, curated by Dr. Valerie Steele and Colleen Hill, is accompanied by a lavishly-illustrated companion book, published by Taschen.