We are so excited to announce an extra-special collaboration collection for pre-order: the In Bloom collection, designed in collaboration with the Bata Shoe Museum in Toronto, Canada!
This collaboration collection was inspired by the Bata Shoe Museum's latest special exhibition, "In Bloom: Flowers and Footwear", which opened to the public on April 20, 2023. This exhibition is themed all around floral motifs in footwear, and features explorations of the languages of flowers, shoemaking materials used to create floral motifs in historical footwear, and how nature has inspired shoemaking across time and places.
We knew that this exhibition would be the perfect opportunity to collaborate, as there are so many splendid extant shoes in Bata's collection featuring floral motifs. After working with the museum's curatorial team, we decided to reproduce three beautiful shoes from the 18th century, the 19th century, and the 20th century. Each original shoe features black satin uppers, and floral embroidery. Plus, every pair of shoes sold from the In Bloom collection benefits and supports The Bata Shoe Museum in their study, outreach, and conservation.
And here they are: the originals from Bata's collection! Aren't these shoes just gorgeous? It's so cool that even though they come from three different centuries, they made for a perfect capsule collection!
Without further ado, we introduce Primrose, Flora, and Daisy.
Primrose 18th Century Shoes
Primrose is inspired by an 18th century shoe featured in the In Bloom exhibition, from the BSM's collection. The original extant shoe is English in origin, and was made sometime between 1775 and 1785. Primrose is accurate to the 1770s-1790s, and features a latchet closure and 2 inch/5 cm Italian heel. Primrose is available in six gorgeous colorways: black/pink (the original colorway), black/black, ivory/celadon green, green/ivory, blue/ivory, and pink/ivory. Primrose has poly satin uppers with Petersham ribbon edge binding, cotton canvas linings and insoles, and a floral embroidery motif. Primrose is made using the same last and heel as Dunmore.
Flora 19th Century Boots
Yes, it's THAT boot! Flora is a beautiful 19th century boot modelled off an original 1880s Jean-Louis François Pinet boot in the Bata Shoe Museum's collection. Flora is accurate to the 1870s-1900s, and features ribbon laces and a full leather lining. Flora comes in six colorways: black (original colorway), light blue, forest green, ivory, lavender, and celadon green. Flora features all-over floral embroidery on poly satin uppers, inspired by the original embroidery on the Pinet boot. Flora has a 1.75"/4.4 cm French heel (the same as Astoria), and a soft toe box with no toe counter.
Daisy 1920s Shoes
Daisy, our 1920s shoe, is modelled after another Pinet shoe from the In Bloom collection. Daisy is accurate to the 1920s-1940s, and is available in five lovely colorways: black (original colorway), orchid pink, green, light blue, and rich eggplant purple. Like Primrose and Flora, Daisy has poly satin uppers and an embroidered floral motif modelled after the extant Pinet shoe. Daisy is made using the same last as Lilith, and uses the same 2.5"/6.35 cm Spanish heel as Lilith too. Daisy has open sides, and a button closure.
We have long been admirers of this incredible museum- how could we not be? Dedicated entirely to shoes and related artifacts, the Bata Shoe Museum houses an extensive collection of historical shoes from around the world. It's a dream come true for us to work with them and support them! Every pair of Primroses, Floras and Daisys sold will help benefit the Bata Shoe Museum to support their study, outreach and conservation.
We can't thank the Bata Shoe Museum, and all of their wonderful staff who we worked with on this project, enough. If you are ever on the east coast, we implore you to go to Toronto and patronize this amazing and very important institution!
The mission of the Bata Shoe Museum is to communicate the central role of footwear in shaping the social and cultural life of humanity. Through acquiring, conserving, researching, interpreting and exhibiting material evidence of the history of footwear and shoemaking, the museum illustrates the changing habits, lifestyles, culture and customs of the world’s inhabitants. The BSM’s international collection of nearly 15 000 artefacts spans 4,500 years of history.
Bata Shoe Museum, Mission Statement (excerpt)
The In Bloom collection is available for $20/€20 off each pair from April 21 through May 5 in our US and UK/EU stores. The In Bloom exhibition at the Bata Shoe Museum is on from April 20, 2023-October 6, 2024- plenty of time for you to go lay eyes on the original beauties! Now you simply have to decide which colors to get.
Pre-Order is Open
April 21 - May 5, 2023
$20/€20 Discount Per Pair
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