The Bellevue Arts Museum will present a retrospective of the work and life of one of the greatest shoe designers of the 20th century: Beth Levine. Featuring ephemera and over 100 shoes and boots, Beth Levine: First Lady of Shoes will open its doors Feb. 18 and run through June 6.
Originally organized by The Dutch Leather and Shoe Museum, BAM is the only U.S. venue to showcase the exhibition.
Long before the rise of Jimmy Choo and Christian Louboutin, Beth Levine (1914 – 2006) revolutionized the fashion world with her artful shoe designs. Levine popularized such styles as mules, stilettos and fashion boots. Her shoes became favorites among designers and celebrities alike, from Halston to Geoffrey Beene, Marilyn Monroe to Cher, as well as four of America’s First Ladies.
Born in 1914 into a family of Jewish farmers on Long Island, NY, Levine was the first successful female shoe designer in an era and field dominated by men. In 1950, she and her husband started a shoe factory in New York where she designed shoes under his name, Herbert Levine.
Finding her start as a shoe model, she was known for the comfort, wearability and beauty of her designs. Both practical and whimsical, she is credited with numerous ‘firsts’ such as the Spring-o-lator and the topless ‘No’ shoe.
While the artist’s name remains virtually unknown, her designs are not, such as the iconic white go-go boots made famous by Nancy Sinatra’s 1966 song, “These boots are made for walkin’.”
The local presentation of Beth Levine: First Lady of Shoes has been made possible through the support of Nordstrom.
“We are honored to support BAM and this exhibit,” said Nordstrom Bellevue Square Store Manager, Doug McCoy. “Nordstrom started out as a shoe store in the Pacific Northwest over 100 years ago so this partnership is a perfect fit.”
The museum will offer a wide range of free or low-cost educational and community programs inspired by the exhibition. Activities include A History of Women’s Achievements in America, a film series in honor of Women’s History Month held in March; Breakfast with BAM, a new monthly program designed to engage audiences in new conversations on art, craft and design; and several Get Crafty Saturdays!, informal drop-in activities for children ages 4-12, among others.
