Eugenie’s shoes c1854-1870

What’s interesting about Eugenie’s shoes is that there is no distinction between left and right feet.  Her skating boots have detachable blades and decorative white stitching and her carriage boots (are fur-lined, with a high, shaped heel, known as the Louis Heel.

Empress Eugénie was married to Napoleon III, the Emperor of France and was a contemporary of Museum founder, Joséphine Bowes.  They both lived in Paris during the period known as The Second Empire (Napoleon’s reign) and both were dressed by the fashion house Worth.

The Museum has many of Empress Eugénie’s shoes, as they were donated by Robert and Alice Edleston of Gainford, who had bought the collection from a sale of her effects in 1923.

They include these fabulous white evening shoes made by Viault-Esté.