Twenty Shoe Styles from the Twenties, and a Vionnet Connection
Shoes from Paris to Wear with the New Winter Frocks, Delineator, Oct. 1928
Shoes from Paris to Wear with the New Winter Frocks appeared in Delineator magazine in October, 1928. The article was signed by Marie Beynon Ray. It’s quite long, and features twenty different shoes, so I will break it up into two posts. I’ll show you an overview and close-ups of the shoes from the left hand page first, with their descriptions, and discuss the right hand page and text of the article in my next post, but the surprise appears at the very end of her story: The shoes on the right hand side of the article, by Netch et Bernard, are attributed to the husband of Madeleine Vionnet, and said to be inspired by her designs and shown with her collection. Netch shoes from the 1930s can be found in museum collections, labeled Netch and Frater, but I have not found a reference to Netch et Bernard. In fact, I couldn’t find an internet mention of Vionnet’s relationship with Captain Netch, although their marriage is discussed in Madeleine Vionnet, by Betty Kirke.
Ducerf Scavini Shoes, Fall of 1928 
The shoes on the left side of the feature are all from the Paris establishment Ducerf-Scavini. [The name is hyphenated in the article.] You can see a slightly later pair of Ducerf Scavini shoes, very colorful, in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum, and other pairs, with label, at Shoe-Icons. Ms. Ray points out that all ten Ducerf Scavini shoe designs are based on the same model, with additions and variations. “It is so easy to select one model and then say, ‘And I’ll take the same thing in beige antelope and brown patent leather for afternoon; in turquoise crêpe de Chine with gold pipings for evening; in white antelope and brown and white lizard for sports….’ “
A. Twisted strap slipper. It is dark blue satin with gold piping and embroidery.
B. Evening slipper. A line of silver kid and strass on iridescent pink kid.
C. Low-high heel mule. The gray antelope is bordered with kid, lined with satin.
D. Satin slipper of green and white with an emerald and diamond ornament.
E. Buckle slipper. The leather is gold lizard and stones are square-cut topaz.
F. Polka-dot slipper for afternoon in two tones of beige with mauve dots.
G. Modernistic shoe encrusted with silver and patent kid on gun metal.
H. Crêpe de Chine slipper. An evening model in pale green with silver kid.
I. Straw shoe for the south. Natural panama trimmed with scarlet lizard.
J. Sports shoe. The brown and white classic of the sidelines, leather heeled.
To be continued….
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