Shoes: Pleasure and Pain

The exhibition at Victoria and Albert Museum will explore the agonizing aspect of wearing shoes as well as the euphoria and obsession they can inspire.

The transformative power of extreme footwear will be explored in the V&A’s summer 2015 fashion exhibition, Shoes: Pleasure and Pain. More than 200 pairs of historic and contemporary shoes from around the world will be on display, many for the first time.

The V&A’s shoe collection is unrivalled, spanning the globe and over 2000 years. For Shoes: Pleasure and Pain, curator Helen Persson has delved into this, other international collections and the wardrobes of private individuals to select an exceptional range of shoes from a sandal decorated in pure gold leaf originating from ancient Egypt to futuristic looking shoes created using 3D printing.

Shoes worn by or associated with high profile figures including Marilyn Monroe, Queen Victoria, Sarah Jessica Parker and the Hon Daphne Guinness will be shown as well as famous shoes, such as the ballet slippers designed for Moira Shearer in the 1948 film The Red Shoes. Footwear for men and women by 70 named designers including Manolo Blahnik, Christian Louboutin, Jimmy Choo and Prada will be on display. Historic lotus shoes made for bound feet and 16th-century chopines, silk mules with vertiginous platforms designed to lift skirts above the muddy streets, will also feature.

RiRi, Sophia Webster, Spring Summer 2013

Exhibition curator, Helen Persson, said: “Shoes are one of the most telling aspects of dress. Beautiful, sculptural objects, they are also powerful indicators of gender, status, identity, taste and even sexual preference. Our choice in shoes can help project an image of who we want to be.”

01 / 02

Roger Vivier for Christian Dior. Evening shoe beaded silk and leather, France 1958–60, Victoria and Albert Museum, London

Caroline Groves (b.1959), Parakeet shoes. Photo Dan Lowe

13 June 2015 – 31 January 2016
Shoes: Pleasure and Pain
Curated by Helen Persson
Sponsored by Clarks
Supported by Agent Provocateur, with additional thanks to the Worshipful Company of Cordwainers
Victoria&Albert Museum
London

Stone: Origins and Future in Architecture

On June 12 and 13, 2025, IUAV University of Venice will host "Stone is…," an international forum entirely dedicated to natural stone. Organized by PNA, this event aims to thoroughly explore the material's enduring value and sustainability, featuring insights from internationally renowned speakers.

Sponsored content

Shoes: Pleasure and Pain

The exhibition at Victoria and Albert Museum will explore the agonizing aspect of wearing shoes as well as the euphoria and obsession they can inspire.

Technology meets aesthetics, with Cordivari

Stone: Origins and Future in Architecture

Latest on News

Latest on Domus