What's In Store... Blue Suede Shoes

The Blue Shoe

The museum has recently acquired these shoes as part of a small group of items from the artist Robert King. In the 1950s Robert attended Leicester College of Art and then went on to work as a designer in the shoe industry. The shoes were produced in the early 1960s when he was working at Gloveze Shoes on Friday Street in Leicester.

We have many shoes in the museum collection, but it is unusual to have the original design alongside the end product which makes this donation of particular interest.

The shoes have a pointed toe and a very high stiletto heel which was fashionable at the time. They are in a lovely shade of soft blue suede. The fringed upper at the heel is particularly striking and the addition of fine metal inserts allows this to be curled. The fringed bow at the toe balances the shoe.

Robert King went on to work as an artist and has produced and exhibited many oil paintings and watercolours over the years.