Shoes

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.
Alberto Dal Cò produced shoes which epitomize the severe Italian stiletto of the late 1950s. This example includes elegant and surprising details, a quality typical of the designer's work. Osgood found the design noteworthy by virtue of the interesting treatment of the open shank, an important trend in the current market, and the balanced asymmetric design.