BSM x Humber Galleries

We’re excited to announce that we’ve partnered with Humber College’s Humber Galleries for their Quarantots Kid’s Art Call this week. For inspiration, we’ve put together a specially curated online collection, including shoes inspired by race cars and beautifully beaded moccasins! Draw or paint your favourite object from our collection.

Post your masterpiece on social media with the hashtag #Quarantots, or submit via the web form here. On Monday, July 27, all of the artwork received will be available to view online in one of the Quarantots Galleries. They have also partnered with Long-Term Care Homes around the GTA! Humber Galleries will reach out to you to see if you want your artwork to go to a senior resident and staff at a LTCH. Happy drawing!

French, c.1860s

These blue silk men’s house slippers were hand-embroidered with a range of natural motifs including flowers and butterflies. The pansies or pensées, which in French can mean “thoughts”, were probably used to suggest the “thoughtfulness” of their maker.

French, 2011

French shoe designer Pierre Hardy first studied fine art before turning to footwear and his love of art runs through his collections, including these limited edition Poworama sneakers for men that were clearly inspired by the artwork of Roy Lichtenstein.

American, 1985

In 1984, the young Chicago Bulls rookie basketball player Michael Jordan signed with Nike to create a line of signature sneakers called Air Jordans. This pair dates to 1985, the first year Air Jordans were made.

Manchu, late 19th century

These pedestal shoes may have been worn by a Chinese Manchu bride over 100 years ago. The embroidery features a phoenix to symbolise the Chinese Empresses and and the little mandarin ducks swimming among the lotus blossoms symbolised a happy marriage.

French, 2014

Disney released the film Maleficent starring Angelina Jolie in 2014. To promote the film Jolie wore shoes designed by Christian Louboutin inspired by her character, the misunderstood fairy Maleficent from Charles Perrault’s famous story Sleeping Beauty. Gift of Christian Louboutin.

American, 1965-68

Beth Levine designed this playful pair of shoes inspired by race cars complete with windshields, tires and racing numbers. Levine was one of the only a handful of female shoe designers in the twentieth century.

Han Chinese, 20th century

Tigers have long been symbols of protection, strength, and bravery in Chinese culture. Warriors historically dressed in tiger skins or painted tiger patterns on their armor as protective amulets and mothers traditionally used tiger symbolism on their children’s clothing as a means of offering them protection.

Egyptian, 2565 - 2278 B.C.E

Ancient Egyptians believed that the dead need to bring everything they might require in the next life including footwear. This pair of white wooden sandals were made specifically for inclusion in a grave.

Dutch, late 19th century

European clogs are often thought of as simple wooden work shoes, but some historic examples elaborate carving and painted motifs. This unusual pair may have been made to be worn for special occasions.

Turkish, c. 1900

Wealthy brides in Turkey used to be given fancy bathhouse clogs called nalin with matching bowls to use in the hammam or bathhouse to get ready for their weddings. This pair is made of silver.

Italian, 2012

The unusual shape of these shoes designed by Giuseppe Zanotti harkens back to the Renaissance but the spikes are totally modern.

Tsitsistas/Suhtai, late 19th century

In the 19th century, bison and horses were of central importance to many of the nations who lived on the Great Plains. This pair of Tsitsistas/Suhtai (Cheyenne) moccasins features beadwork in a distinctive keyhole shape similar to buffalo pound used to encircle a herd of bison. Horses are also featured in the beadwork design.

Moroccan, 1980s

This pair of bright sunny yellow balgha, also called babouche, comes from Morocco. Balgha are a type of flat-soled footwear that typically have the back quarters pressed down flat against the insole.

Myanmarese, 19th century

The Buddhist kings in Myanmar used to wear golden footwear in the shape of the sacred hintha bird. The maker of this royal pair recreated the hintha bird’s golden-feathers using gold thread, gold sequins, beads and cut glass.

Italian, late 16th century

In Renaissance Italy high platform shoes known as chopines were worn completely concealed under women’s skirts. Their purpose was to increase the amount of fabric used to make women’s skirts making their outfits more costly.

Iglulingmiut Inuit, 1987

Fur inlay is a technique used by Inuit seamstresses to create designs on the clothing and footwear that they make. Leah Okadluk, an Iglulingmiut Inuit seamstress, made these sealskin kamiks each featuring standing polar bears.

Canadian, 2017

Cowboy boots began to feature pointed toes, decorative designs and bold colour in the 1920s. This pair was made by the Canadian maker Boulet.

English, c. 1930s

Two-toned shoes called spectators first became fashionable for men in the nineteenth century and by the 1930s they were considered flashy fashion statements. The elegant actor Bela Lugosi, famous for playing Dracula in Hollywood films, wore this pair.