In the last century, women's footwear has embraced more variations than in the entire previous history of fashion, as retro styles resurface as contemporary fashions. Balancing function and fantasy, the great designers of the last hundred years have created some of the most beautiful shoes ever made. The Metropolitan Museum's Costume Institute houses a selection of finely crafted Art Deco inspired shoe accessories, among them a pair of white metal buckles dating back to the 1920s. The originals are oval in shape with a pierced floral motif studded in rhinestones. It is from these buckles that the Art Deco Crystal Pin is developed. Silver overlay, with Swarovski™crystals. Lightly antiqued. 1 1/2''L.
- Silver overlay
- Lightly antiqued
- Swarovski™crystals
- 1 1/2''L
After the First World War, there was a shift in women's fashion particularly wardrobe that accentuated the legs, ankles and feet. As a result of this liberation, shoes and stockings became increasingly important accessories. Shoe designers embraced the opportunity to showcase a wide variety of styles and extravagant materials. Buckles, often reflecting the artful elegance of the prevalent Art Deco aesthetic, were a favourite accessory; fashioned in metal and adorned with beads and rhinestones, they added an appealing sparkle to both day and evening shoes.