There is always room for a pair of elegant high heels on the shoe shelf of the modern lady. An invariable attribute of femininity, the stiletto heel seems to be the same age as fashion, but in reality this is far from the case.
In the centuries in heels
There are a lot of versions about the invention of the heel. So, one of them claims that this fashionable detail appeared in the Middle Ages thanks to Louis XIV, the other speaks of the great contribution to the creation of the innovation of the great scientist Leonardo da Vinci. Still, the following scenario looks more plausible.
At the beginning of the second millennium AD, Asian riders began to nail special horseshoes to the soles of their shoes, which fixed their feet in the stirrup while running at a gallop. This device is considered the first prototype of the modern heel.
The further development of this shoe detail took place in medieval Europe, when the high heel began to serve not only horsemen, but also short gentlemen. In any case, it was an exclusively masculine privilege. The first woman who dared to wear such shoes is considered to be Catherine de Medici, who is famous not only as a ruthless politician, but also as a legislator of the court style. However, some historians claim that the high heel gained popularity in Spain, and only a century after the reign of this queen.
Legends of modern fashion
No less controversial is the question of the authorship of the modern hairpin. In the early fifties of the last century, the idea of creating a thin high heel was embodied in the collections of Salvatore Ferragamo, Roger Vivier and Charles Jourdan. Raymond Massaro also claims to be the creator of stiletto heels.
However, only two of them deserve special thanks to women of fashion. In 1950, Ferragamo decided to reinforce the high heel with a long metal rod. This idea became fundamental in the technology of further production of stiletto heels.
And three years later, the French designer Roger Vivier, the teacher of the famous Christian Louboutin, created a unique pair of shoes for Elizabeth II, which she wore on the day of her ascent to the English throne. The thin, though not too high heel of these sandals was inlaid with rubies.
This luxurious innovation made a splash. The most eminent beauties of the time lined up for Vivier's shoes, including Hollywood actress Audrey Hepburn, opera diva Maria Callas and US First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy.
Subsequently, the production of stiletto heels was put on stream, because every woman wanted to feel like a real queen - if not Great Britain, then at least men's hearts.
