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SOLD

£95.00

SKU: 10041

Terry de Havilland is the undisputed king of the wedge, and was the favourite cobbler of many a 1970's rock star! These amazing vintage platform wedges date from the early 1970's (as confirmed by a prominent shoe expert/museum curator) and are already rare, covetable and collectable! Very sought after, so hard to come by now and in a decent size too.

These amazing 1940's inspired shoes have thick platform wedge soles with alternating leather and suede bands giving a stacked effect, rounded toes with striped leather and suede design to echo the heels, and leather/suede ankle straps which criss cross at the back of the heels and fasten with retangular rhinestone encrusted buckles. The black leather looks like its been slightly pearlised or treated in some way for a subtle lustre.

Black insoles with "Terry de Havilland London" embossed in gold.
Soles are leather, with "made in Spain" and size 39 embossed.

Here's a bit of info from the Independent's 2009 article "Sole Man", on the man himself!:

De Havilland has been making shoes almost solidly since he started out in the Barking-based family firm in 1960, but his name and profile have drifted in and out of fashion's spotlight. The shoes on display in his studio area offer a magical mystery tour of his career, which he animates further with explanations. The Forties-inspired metallic wedges he created when he started working for his dad's shoemaking business in the late Sixties were made, "either when I was on acid, or on a comedown from acid, some of them are really psychedelic. They are based on shoes that my dad used to make in the Forties. I went up to his loft once at the end of the Sixties and found the old wedge in the attic and persuaded him to start making them again."

After that Terry took over his business, and opened Cobblers to the World on the King's Road in 1972, which he describes as, "very much party central. We had a machinist in the basement where people came down to have individual shoes made, that was our story anyway. Shirley Bassey came in, as did Angie Bowie, Bianca Jagger."

Rare, supercool vintage 1970's originals! (John Lewis are selling new de Havilland designs for £250+ at present!) ...

Measurements

• labelled size Euro 39
• UK 6
• 4" heel
• 1" platform sole
• 10 1/4" long heel to toe on the inside

Comments

Although these shoes have been worn they only show minor wear to the uppers and natural creasing at the bend of the toes. The soles are leather so the wear is more evident, but still these are in great shape with no major issues. The elastic on the straps is still stretchy, all the rhinestones are intact on the buckles and they are overall in clean condition although maybe a little grubby with minor wear at the base of the wedge heels (see pictures).