15. Shoes with ‘Italian’ heels 1770–85 England Silk, silk and metal thread embroidery, leather Given by Messrs Harrods Ltd V&A: T.472&A, B, C-1913 The Perfect Heel (Object No. 15) Over the centuries, shoemakers have devised different solutions to elevating footwear. In the 18th century, a long wedged ‘Italian’ heel extended to the middle of the sole in an attempt to support the wearer’s weight. In the mid 19th century, ballerina-style shoes were equipped with simple square heels, sometimes just glued on. In the 1920s, the metal shank was invented and later the metal spike. These innovations could take more weight and meant that designers like Vivier could experiment with shapes, such as the Virgule (‘Comma’) heel. [2015]