Bata Shoe Museum Adds 22 New Designs to André Perugia Exhibition
Toronto’s Bata Shoe Museum is giving visitors another look at the bold ideas of André Perugia with 22 newly installed designs in André Perugia: A Design Legend Unveiled.
The new rotation adds rare footwear to the exhibition, showing how Perugia used fashion, engineering, and art to rethink the shoe.
The exhibition is on view through April 4, 2027. Across its 18-month run, it will showcase more than 95 examples of Perugia’s work from the 1920s through the 1960s, along with footwear by modern designers influenced by his approach.
Note: Exhibition details and event schedules may change, so visitors are encouraged to confirm the latest information with the museum before planning their visit.
A Designer Who Redefined Footwear
Perugia, who lived from 1893 to 1977, built a career around ideas that were far ahead of their time. He explored how shoes could work as both technical objects and pieces of sculpture.
His experiments included the articulated sole, blade heels, and early designs that shaped the stiletto. He pushed luxury footwear into new territory by using materials such as lizard skin and covering evening shoes with rhinestones.
His client list was just as notable. Perugia created custom footwear for figures such as Josephine Baker, Mistinguett, and Princess Lilian of Belgium. He even worked with major fashion names, including Elsa Schiaparelli, Christian Dior, and Jacques Fath.
Nishi Bassi, curator and manager of exhibitions at the Bata Shoe Museum, describes Perugia as a visionary whose architectural approach set new standards in footwear design.
22 Designs Bring His Ideas Into Focus
The latest rotation covers four decades of Perugia’s career. Several pieces show how he combined unusual shapes with careful construction. Some highlights include:
- Schiaparelli Platform Sandal – Created for Elsa Schiaparelli in the late 1930s, this sandal uses gold and silver leather in a strong, sculptural form.
- Articulated Sole Sandal – Dating to the 1920s, the design uses multiple wooden pieces joined with metal hinges to allow greater movement.
- Heel-less Shoe – This early 1950s blue-grey design hides its support within the structure, which gives the shoe a floating look.
- Rhinestone Evening Shoe – Covered in sparkling rhinestones, the early 1920s design shows Perugia’s interest in turning footwear into jewellery-like objects.
- Turquoise Boots for Andrée Spinelli – Made for the French actress, these colorful lace-up boots reflect the bespoke work that made Perugia a sought-after shoemaker to performers and public figures.
The new display includes work connected to Jacques Fath, along with platforms, wedges, and experimental heels. The museum says the latest additions include pieces from the Musée de la Chaussure in Romans-sur-Isère and other important collections.
More Than A Shoe Exhibition
What makes the exhibition useful for fashion fans is its focus on how Perugia solved design problems. His work shows that a dramatic shoe still needs structure, balance, and movement.
The articulated sole is one example. Instead of choosing between comfort and style, Perugia explored construction methods that could support both. His heel-less designs took the same idea in another direction, using hidden support to create an unexpected visual effect.
The exhibition was curated by Bassi and features pieces from the Bata Shoe Museum collection, Musée de la Chaussure, Fondation Azzedine Alaïa, Maison Schiaparelli, and Manolo Blahnik.
Exhibition Details
André Perugia: A Design Legend Unveiled
- Dates: On view now through April 4, 2027 (Sunday)
- Location: Bata Shoe Museum, 327 Bloor Street West, Toronto
- Museum Hours:
- Monday to Saturday – 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM
- Sunday – 12:00 PM to 5:00 PM (General admission to the museum is free)
- Admission:
- $16 for adults
- $12 for seniors
- $8 for students
- $5 for children ages 5 to 17
- Free for children under 5
- Official Website: batashoemuseum.ca
The museum will host a Curator’s Talk with Bassi on December 15, 2026 (Tuesday), from 6:00 PM to 7:00 PM. The event will explore the making of the exhibition and Perugia’s influence on footwear design.
Perugia’s work may have been overlooked compared with some of the fashion names he worked beside, but the new rotation makes a strong case for his place in design history.
Nearly a century after some of these pieces were created, their unusual forms still feel fresh. That makes the Bata Shoe Museum’s latest rotation more than a display of historic shoes.
Which André Perugia design would you want to see up close? Let us know your pick in the comments.
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