Italian Fashion

 The History of High Heels

From Cavemen to the Catwalk

Trying on a pair of buttery soft stiletto Gucci boots can reduce even the most sane and poised woman into a giddy mess. There are few experiences in life that can rival the sheer pleasure and excitement women feel when shopping for shoes at Fendi and Prada in Italy. Glancing at the shelves of possibilities, their eyes light up like a kid in a candy store and their heart might flutter like the first time they fell in love.

Owning closets of shoes may seem frivolous and superficial, but in reality women are merely paying homage to the bricklayers of our modern civilization. Shoes are one of the oldest inventions of our primitive ancestors. They were first created with a piece of hide or plaited grass to protect feet from sharp rocks and rugged terrain. Shoes are also constantly referenced to in the Bible and depictions of high heels dating back to 4000BC were found on the walls of Egyptian temples and tombs.

Most people know that fashion trends are cyclical, peaking in popularity and then being discarded until they are introduced in another decade, but you might be surprised to learn that most of the shoe styles that are seen gliding down the runways in Milan and Paris have a long and fascinating history of several hundred or even thousand of years behind them.

One mystery to men is why women would voluntarily torture their toes with pointy toed shoes or high heels, yet these continue to be the most popular styles for dress shoes today. Sometimes fashion just trumps comfort, not unlike the medieval period of Europe, when luxury and extravagance was more sought after than practicality. During this time, the Crackow was designed, which was a shoe with a 5 inch pointed toe, that was eventually prohibited by law because it was almost impossible to walk in.

Heels are a staple in the chic urban woman's wardrobe, but this wasn't always the case. In 1500, it was men, descendants of European nobility, who began to wear heeled shoes in order to keep their feet in stirrups when horseback riding. Although there are some references to heels in history prior to this, this is when it become popularized for men of the courts and the term "well heeled" came about to suggest being wealthy or able to afford the costly shoes.

In 1533, it was the wedding of Italian born Catherine de Medici with the Duke of Orleans in France that brought high heels in vogue for women. Ladies can thank this forward fashion royal who insisted on having heels made for her in Florence prior to the wedding. The 14 year old vertically challenged bride set the rage in Paris for the new "It" shoe.

And just when you thought that Renaissance man Leonardo Da Vinci couldn't be credited with another brilliant endeavor, he is rumored to be the inventor of high heels.

While many women today take pride in the ease and speed they have as they rush around in their 5" Manolos, it's likely that the 16th century women of France, Spain, and Italy could give them a run for their money. In the mid 1500's, chopines became popular, particularly in Venice. Chopines are an extremely tall shoe that reached heights of 24". The higher the woman was in social status, the more restricted her movement was, forcing woman to carry canes or servants to help them. High heels stayed in style up until the late 18th Century, during the midst of the French Revolution when it was considered in bad taste to show any sign of opulence. Ironically, Marie Antoinette ascended the scaffold for her young and tragic execution in a pair of 2" heels in 1793.

Finally, they emerged again as factories began to open in Italy and other parts of Europe in the late 19th century. The US was not far behind when it opened its first high heel factory in 1888. Women favored modest styles until the Roaring 20's, when hemlines rose and elegant shoes showcased bare legs. In 1954, Roger Vivier designed the first stiletto heel with its infamous bold arch for the house of Dior. But it is Italy that has taken the fashion world by storm as the global leader of luxury shoes.

It's quite an easy choice. For fashionistas on the hunt for a pair that will turn a room of women green with envy, Italy is the first and last destination.