Toronto 
The Bata Shoe Museum is stepping into spring with its latest exhibition, In Bloom: Flowers and Footwear.
Bata Shoe Museum
The exhibit explores how flowers have influenced fashion and shoemaking throughout history, with each floral motif holding its own unique meaning and story. From cherry blossoms to tulips, visitors will learn about the significance of 25 different floral and natural materials used in shoemaking.
But this exhibition is not just for shoe enthusiasts; floral lovers will also be thrilled to see the stunning pairing of each footwear artifact with one or more botanicals.
Visitors will discover the origins and meanings of flowers such as hydrangeas, peonies, irises, and tulips, as well as interesting facts like how shoemakers used cork and grass for fashionable women’s footwear during World War II.
The Bata Shoe Museum has also collaborated with three Indigenous guest curators, who provided their expertise on three floral moccasins each, adding a special cultural element to the exhibition.
In addition to the exhibition, the museum is also unveiling a new front window installation created by rye florals co., reflecting the themes of nature, transformation, and growth. The installation is sure to inspire feelings of beauty and abundance in all who view it.
Exhibition Highlights
- Sandals designed by Yves Saint Laurent in 1986 that make the wearer’s feet appear to be wrapped in foliage
- Manchu platform shoes with flower pot style pedestals decorated with cherry blossoms from the second half of the 19th century
- Hand-painted Air Jordan 1s embellished with peonies by artist Vicky Vuong
- An Andrea Pfister mule from the 1980s featuring poppies
- Peranakan beaded wedding shoes from the 1920s featuring peonies and butterflies
- Infant socks with floral embroidery known as taraebeoseon from Korea, dating to the early 1900s made of cotton
- Eighteenth-century shoes made of brocaded silk featuring roses
Elizabeth Semmelhack, Director and Senior Curator of the museum said, “Spring is the perfect time to consider and enjoy all of the beautiful florals that have long embellished footwear and fashion around the world. Flowers can be uplifting and calming, providing a sense of wonder and renewal; sentiments that we are all searching for right now.”
With a vast and ever-expanding collection of almost 15,000 shoes and related artifacts from around the world, the Bata Shoe Museum (BSM) offers visitors a glimpse into 4,500 years of footwear history across its four unique rotating galleries.
So whether you’re a shoe aficionado, a flower enthusiast, or just looking for a dose of beauty and wonder, be sure to check out the Bata Shoe Museum’s In Bloom: Flowers and Footwear exhibition.
In Bloom: Flowers and Footwear – Bata Show Museum
What: As one of fashion’s most timeless inspirations, representations of flowers have appeared in textiles and footwear throughout history. From spring cherry blossoms as a symbol of new beginnings to the fall-blooming chrysanthemum as an emblem of joy and happiness, each floral motif holds a unique meaning and story. A celebration of how nature has provided meaning and material for shoemaking across both time and place, the exhibition features some of the most beautiful shoes from the museum’s collection.
When: April 20, 2023 to October 6, 2024, Monday to Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sundays 12 p.m. to 5 p.m.
Where: 327 Bloor Street West, Toronto
How Much: $5 to $14, free general admission every Sunday. Indigenous visitors are always welcome for free.
