NY Historic Society "Walk This Way" Shoes from the Private Collection of Stuart Weitzman

Surely this would seem to be a fun & frivolous promenade through a gallery of glamorous shoes perhaps adorned by celebrities.  But as they say, Ginger Rogers did everything Fred Astaire did only backwards and in heels and this show is more than just a shoe fetish find.  The shoes are from the Stuart Weitzman private collection (which is why I thought it was going to be shoes from their own commercial business).  The shoes are laced in with history.  On display you'll find shoes worn by the suffragettes, by the factory workers; shoes that hold relevance to history for women's achievements and struggles.  There are the shoes for the working woman as well as designer shoes for haute couture.  The pictures tied in and the curatorial notes support femininity, self-empowerment and progress.  The artisanal craft of designing & creating shoes shine brightly.  There are cushy seats you'd find in high end shoe stores for you to sit and take some weight off your feet before tallying forth.  This show is fun, enlightening and more rewarding than a 1/2 off shoe sale.  The 3 winning designs selected at the end of the show are worth noting.  You'll also find an original pair of Ginger Roger's shoes from the film "Top Hat".