As part of collaboration with the Moravian Museum in Brno, a pair of pumps titled Ballet Folklore was created. As a starting point, I chose a pair of high-cut black boots with striking red trim, originally made at the turn of the 18th and 19th centuries. There was little information available about the origin of this particular pair, which gave me a great deal of creative freedom in my work.
I decided to transform the boots into pumps—taking a type of footwear that tends to appear rather heavy and turning it into something elegant and fresh. That was my main goal within the project. Three key elements guided my design: the red trim, the vegetable-tanned leather sole with a heel, and a subtler detail—the pull loops for easier putting on.
The red trim became the defining feature of the project and inspired the title Ballet Folklore. While working on the designs, I discovered that the trim had likely been added later and that the boots may have been used for theatrical purposes. This connection between theatre and elegance led to inspiration drawn from ballet and ballet slippers. The trim is therefore made from a glossy ribbon and extends into ankle ties. I chose a square toe shape—again as a reference to ballet slippers.
The vegetable-tanned leather sole with a heel was a bit of a challenge for me. I wanted to recreate it in a way similar to how it appeared on the original footwear. The process involved layering the leather, extensive sanding, and polishing. Nevertheless, I’m glad I decided to pursue this option, as it highlights the elegance while preserving the folkloric character—just as I intended.
The final element I wanted to highlight was the pull loops. On the original footwear, they’re not visible when worn, but from the beginning, I intended to turn them into not just a functional, but primarily an aesthetic feature. They are made from ribbon with a folkloric pattern and peek out when the shoes are worn. At the same time, they can also be used in the lacing—the ribbon can be threaded through them.
