Vintage Shoe Expert Caroline Cox Sweeps Us Off Our Feet

By Reena Jana
April 14, 2011

Caroline Cox

Caroline Cox & Book Cover (Photo credit: Colin Roy)

Caroline Cox is one of the world’s go-to authorities on footwear and its cultural impact. A U.K-based fashion historian, who often appears on the BBC as a commentator and reporter on fashion trends, she is also the author of Vintage Shoes [Harper Collins], an overview of the world’s top shoe designers of the last 100 years. In this beautifully illustrated tome, released in the U.S. in March, Caroline Cox looks at how Manolo Blahnik, Roger Vivier, Christian Louboutin and others have achieved technical innovation in shoe construction and offers tips on how shoe collectors can best care for and preserve their most beloved pairs.

Caroline Cox, who is also the author of the books Stiletto, Seduction, and Bags, as well as a consultant on style trends at Vidal Sassoon, swept us off our feet (and right into a pair of must-have Manolos).

The Inside Source: What was your first experience with vintage shoes?

Caroline Cox: My grandmother had a pair of side-buttoned gray suede boots that she kept in tissue paper in her wardrobe and she used to bring them out now and again to show me—they would have been from the 1930s. I loved them, but my feet were too big to fit! I began buying for myself as a teenage punk in Derby [England] in 1976. I began raiding thrift stores for clothes, and this is when I really began to develop a passion for vintage shoes. Nobody was interested in them, then so there were huge amounts to choose from. I remember buying a Mondrian-inspired pair of '60s flatties, a pair of blue cloth '50s ballet pumps and numerous pairs of red and black patent winklepickers [pointy-toed flat mod boots]. They would be worth money now, but I wore them till they fell apart.

The Inside Source: What are some of the most popular antique and vintage shoes among serious shoe collectors?

Caroline Cox: Serious money is paid for Salvatore Ferragamo’s experimental designs of the 1940s and Roger Vivier designs for Dior in the 1950s. Any Vivienne Westwood shoes are sought after, particularly the rocking horse shoes that date from the 1980s and Terry de Havilland’s seventies wedges are beautiful sculptural objects to have around, not just to wear.

The Inside Source: What are the vintage shoe styles that you love to wear at this moment?

Caroline Cox: I have a beautiful pair of soft gold leather 1960s shoes with a chain effect in the middle. They were much admired by Christian Louboutin when I interviewed him! I also love any kind of wedge as they give height as well as comfort. But my absolute favorites are the designs of Tokio Kumagai.

The Inside Source: How do serious shoe collectors use eBay online auctions as a style resource?

Caroline Cox: eBay is an amazing resource for vintage shoes, as you have the whole world to shop in. There are plenty of bargains to be had out there. Plus there are names that have a great re-sell value, like Louboutin, Chanel and Manolo Blahnik.

The Inside Source: What is the most important tip you can give to shoe collectors who shop on eBay auctions?

Caroline Cox: Do lots of research, learn the names and dates, and develop an aesthetic sense! But remember that you can’t try before you buy, so make sure you ask for full measurements because sizes vary from maker to maker. Also, for research, eBay is great for finding shoe advertisements and magazines and other images.

The Inside Source: What vintage shoes have you bought recently on eBay online auctions yourself?

Caroline Cox: I use eBay all the time. My most recent purchase was a pair of vintage biker boots. And I bought an amazing pair of Kumagai shoes!

The Inside Source: Why do you believe that modern and vintage shoes are so coveted as trendy fashion items?

Caroline Cox: I think it’s because they’ve been an incredible area of experimentation for the last century and they evoke fashion moments of pure glamour. Marilyn Monroe’s scarlet satin rhinestone-encrusted Ferragamo stilettos are iconic, for instance, and a pair of Charles Jourdan flats calls to mind a string-limbed Twiggy in 1960s London. Plus there’s a size to fit everyone, unlike couture clothes!

The Inside Source: In your book, you discuss some of the most famous names in designer shoes: Blahnik, Vivier, Jourdan, Louboutin. What makes shoes by these shoe designers so special?

Caroline Cox: Manolo Blahnik is synonymous with beautiful shoes and is very hands-on in their production—he designs the prototype of every shoe that bears his name and they are technically brilliant as a result. He is also amazing at making cultural references. His shoes evoke the Belle Epoque, Jean Cocteau films, the temples of Bali... yet remain a perfect balance of aerodynamics, aesthetics and engineering.

Roger Vivier is known as the Faberge of Footwear because his designs for Dior are exquisite and they perfectly complemented the dreamy silhouettes of the New Look in the 1950s. His shoes are as beautifully tailored as Dior’s gowns—cut to fit the curves of the foot and intricately fashioned from satin and leather with intricate beadwork or iridescent feathers—the height of luxury.

Charles Jourdan created high quality ready-to-wear shoes that could be afforded by many women. He gave a touch of French chic to millions of feet! The company has also been quick to respond to changes in fashionable styles. As so, many Jourdan shoes have been produced, so they will never be worth huge amounts of money but they have always been kind to feet!

Christian Louboutin is, I believe, the greatest shoe designer working in the world today. He is a true shoe obsessive who understands the shoe is an object that is, quite simply, magical.

The Inside Source: Can you discuss some of your favorite fashion exhibitions at museums?

Caroline Cox: I’m still waiting for THE great shoe exhibition. I would say that the Northampton Shoe Museum in the U.K. is a great resource as is the Bata Shoe Museum (in Toronto). I just got back from the Yamamoto exhibition at the Victoria and Albert Museum in London and it was interesting. My favorite personal fashion curating experience was working on the Missoni exhibition at the Estorick in London, where myself and my partners in HeritageModern, a brand research consultancy, helped in placing the knitwear in the context of the Futurist paintings that had inspired the designs.

Want to shop on eBay like a fashion historian? Here, we followed tips from Carolyn Cox to begin researching and building the ultimate footwear collection.

Roll over items for details

Vivienne Westwood Pumps

(buy it now price, $250)

Chanel Heels

(buy it now price, $599)

New Christian Louboutin Boots

(buy it now price, $1,650)

Manolo Blahnik Sandals

(buy it now price, $219.99)

Yohji Yamamoto Sneakers

(buy it now price, $189.99)

Vintage Biker Boots

(starting bid, $99.99)

Roger Vivier Flats

(buy it now price, $365)

Charles Jourdan Stilettos

(buy it now price, $149.99)

Antique Etiquette Guide

(buy it now price, $37.50)

Vintage Shoe Expert Caroline Cox Sweeps Us Off Our Feet

1 . Charles Jourdan Stilettos: Footwear by Charles Jourdan (like these elegant gold heels, found on eBay for less than $200) provides affordable French chic to many women. Jourdan is featured in Cox’s new book.

2. Christian Louboutin Boots: Caroline Cox believes that Christian Louboutin is “the greatest shoe designer working in the world today.” His shoe designs, like these sculptural over-the-knee boots, illustrate that he understands that shoes are objects that can be “magical,” says Cox.

3. Vintage Biker Boots: Caroline Cox, the author of Vintage Shoes, recently bought a pair of vintage biker boots on eBay, where the selection for this style of footwear is quite extenstive.

4. Vivienne Westwood Pumps: Serious shoe collectors are sure to have a pair—like these sexy plastic slingbacks--by British designer Vivienne Westwood in their collections, says Carolyn Cox, author of the new book Vintage Shoes.

5. Yohji Yamamoto Sneakers: As a fashion historian, Cox is often visiting exhibitions on clothing. She says one of the more interesting shows she’s seen is the new Yohji Yamamoto exhibition at the Victoria and Albert Museum in London. The Japanese designer is well known in the U.S. for his collaboration with sneaker-maker Adidas, which resulted in hip shoes such as this eye-catching pair of red high-tops.

6. Chanel Heels: On eBay, shoe collectors can find exquisite vintage styles by the world’s top fashion houses, like these jeweled Chanel heels.

7. Manolo Blahnik Sandals: Fashionistas can also re-sell coveted vintage items from their collections—like these beautiful strappy Manolo Blahnik sandals--easily on eBay to make room for newer designs.

8. Antique Etiquette Guide: Beyond shoes, Cox also collects antique books on etiquette from the early 1900s to today. On eBay, there is often a wide variety of these types of books, such as this 1901 volume on how to behave properly at parties and weddings.

9. Roger Vivier Sharp Flats: Roger Vivier is another legendary shoe designer featured in Cox’s book on vintage shoes. On eBay, serious shoe collectors can find not only his delicate, ultra-feminine shoes from the 1950s, but also more contemporary, wearable styles that bear the Roger Vivier label, like these sharp flats, a favorite style among the ladies-who-lunch set.

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