Marie Antoinette VIII
from the shoe collection inspired by the esteemed fashion and costume plate series Galerie des Modes et Costumes Français, which first emerged during the reign of Marie Antoinette. This collection has been hailed as "the most beautiful assortment depicting eighteenth-century fashion." Capturing the essence of French elegance, these plates showcased real-life ensembles worn by the stylish women of Paris and the Royal Palace at Versailles, highlighting France's leading position in the world of fashion.
The shoes have a shape prevalent throughout the 1700s, featuring an exaggerated toe point and a high heel gracefully tucked under the arch, crafted to enhance the illusion of dainty and delicate feet.
The translation from the fashion plate describes this as a court dress in cherry satin. It also describes diamonds around the throat and these have been reproduced in the shoes with Swarovski crystals on the toe. In the way the dress has ruffles of white lace over the red fabric, the shoes have satin white glazed braid to contrast with the deep cerise glaze. The gold from the chair in the background is brought into the design via the lavish Roco-style cartouche and the beading along the top edge and the purple velvet with fleur de lis is represented on the back of the shoe.
