A History of Shoes

A History of Shoes

The Victoria and Albert Museum has an unrivalled collection of shoes, around 2,000 pairs spanning more than 3,000 years of history from different cultures around the globe. Drawing from this resource, the timeline gives an overview of the history of shoe design. From the decorative stitching of hemp shoes found on the ancient Silk Road from the 1st Century BC to Venetian platform shoes typical of the 16th century, shoe design and construction reveals remarkable inventiveness. The chronological progression of shoe height, heel shape and materials also exposes how many styles we consider to be modern have been in and out of fashion across the centuries.

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