Previously, I wrote about why and how we become collectors. This story is about some of the items in my personal collection. One of those items is a pair of my grandma’s shoes. These are not just any shoes though. These are fancy dress up shoes. The type you wore to a wedding or visit to the opera house. These are and were special shoes. Not worn often, only for very special occasions and prized for their unusual look.
These are De Liso Debs designed by Palter DeLiso Shoes. The Palter De Liso company was formed in 1927 by Daniel Palter and Vincent DeLiso. The company remained in business until 1975. Based on an ad for a pair of DeLiso Debs from 1952, these shoes would cost over $200 today.
The company was known for its high quality and innovative design. They introduced the first peep-toe sling back shoe in 1938. The same year the Neiman Marcus Fashion Awards were first introduced. Palter DeLiso shoes was one of the award winning companies that first year. Their peep-toe sling back shoes were a revolution in fashion. This was a time when stockings were regularly worn including reinforced heels and toes. The idea of showing more of a ladies foot was considered quite risqué.
My grandma’s shoes were indeed slingbacks with open toes. In fact, they were considered a strappy sandal. These shoes feature leather soles and insoles with clear lucite heels carved with three triple marquis fan designs. The top of the shoes are made from clear vinyl and feature clear plastic bows decorated with clear rhinestones. Very fancy indeed!
I have memories of clomping around my grandmother’s apartment wearing these fancy shoes, which at the time were far too big for my feet. Now my feet would never squeeze into them. From what I can recall, these were most likely purchased in the mid to late 1960s to be worn at my cousin’s wedding. I have photos from the wedding with my grandmother wearing a gorgeous blue chiffon dress trimmed with rhinestones. Although her feet were cut off in the photos, I’m guessing she was wearing those shoes. I was probably around 8 or 9 at the time.
My memories of those shoes and the fact that my grandmother kept them for the rest of her life was one of the triggers that took me down the path of collecting. For me, much of my collection includes items from my past. I have several other items that belonged to my grandma, including many of her hats, a few items of jewelry, and a fur muff from the days when she first came to the US and lived in New York City.
My grandmother eventually moved to Los Angeles because she was enamored with Hollywood and the movie stars of the time. She loved the glamour and glitz of movies and would take me to Hollywood Boulevard on Saturdays by bus. We would walk up and down the boulevard, ogling the stars embedded in the sidewalk known as the Hollywood Walk of Fame, and go to at Grauman’s Chinese Theatre or the Egyptian Theatre to watch the movies of the day. These are some of the memories that have fueled my love of vintage and my collections. Every time I look at those shoes they remind me of my childhood and the wonderful times I spent with my grandmother.
Do you have stories about items you collect? Tell us about them in the comments. We would love to know what you collect and why.
More info on Vincent DeLiso can be found at The Historialist
