Loafers

The Osgood collection comprises 179 objects, chiefly fashionable Italian-made women's shoes dating from the years 1954 to 1958. The shoes were collected by Charline Osgood, Director of the Kid Leather Guild, a trade organization of American kid leather manufacturers. Highlighting the use of kid leather in footwear, the collection provides a fascinating and enticing view of high-style European shoe design from the period, representing many of the finest and most inventive Italian makers.
In addition to extreme, spiky high-style dress shoes, Italian shoe design was particularly strong in this period for simple but creative sportswear styles, like this pair of modern, streamlined flats. The two-tone piecing appeases the contemporary taste for long horizontal lines and very low quarters.