Shoes as a consumer item and lifestyle accessory
From a practical point of view, shoes are just pieces of clothing covering the feet. But in reality, shoes are far more than that. They attest to the wearer´s social status and brand loyalty, as well as age and occupation, and they tell us about the climate and culture they were produced in. Two exhibitions are currently exploring how these phenomena are interlinked, how shoe design has developed and the attitudes that shoes express. Until 31 May 2020 the German Leather Museum in Offenbach will be presenting an exhibition entitled Step by Step. Schuh-Design im Wandel (Step by Step. Shoe Design in a Changing World), featuring an overview of shoes from around the world and from different eras, contrasted with contemporary footwear. The Musée des Arts Décoratifs in Paris is also planning an exhibition devoted to shoes and their cultural significance as essential everyday acessory: Marché et Démarche, une Histoire de la Chaussure (Walking Though Life – a History of the Shoe) will be open to the public from 7 November 2019 to 23 February 2020.
