Victoria and Albert Museum Brings ‘Shoes: Pleasure and Pain’ Exhibition to Asia

Swire Properties has partnered with the Victoria and Albert Museum, London (V&A), one of the world’s leading museums of art and design, to bring the critically-acclaimed exhibition – ‘Shoes: Pleasure and Pain’, to Asia for the first time.

‘Shoes: Pleasure and Pain’ explores how shoes can cause both pain as well as pleasure for the wearer; and more importantly, how footwear choices reflect human and societal behaviour.

Featuring over 140 pairs of shoes from around the world and from as far back as the 1370s, visitors can also admire footwear created by iconic designers or items worn by international celebrities, and dive into the fascinating world of the shoe collector.

This touring V&A exhibition will debut in Shanghai at the newly opened HKRI Taikoo Hui – a joint venture between HKR International and Swire Properties – from 22 September to 5 November 2017.

The exhibition will then make its way next year to Sino-Ocean Taikoo Li Chengdu, TaiKoo Hui in Guangzhou, Taikoo Li Sanlitun in Beijing, before finally finishing its tour at Pacific Place in Hong Kong.

Alvin Kong, Director of Retail at Swire Properties, said, “We’re very excited to be partnering with V&A, the world’s leading museum of art and design, to bring the truly unique ‘Shoes: Pleasure and Pain’ exhibition to five of our shopping malls in Mainland China and Hong Kong. This exhibition is a great example of Swire Properties’ commitment to offering world-class events at our developments, for the local community and visitors to enjoy, which will also raise the retail experience to new heights.”

Alex Stitt, Director of Commercial & Digital Development of the V&A, added, “Shoes are a universal language, connecting everyone across cultures and continents; every individual has their own unique, special memory of shoes. We’re thrilled to be working with Swire Properties to bring this exciting exhibition to Mainland China and Hong Kong, and specifically through shopping malls; creating a brand new experience for visitors outside of museum walls.”

Shoes: Pleasure and Pain

The exhibition, curated by Helen Persson, comprises five sections: Transformation, Status, Seduction, Creation and Obsession.

For modern day shoe-lovers, this exhibition will be an opportunity to experience first-hand the iconic designs of Salvatore Ferragamo, Yves Saint Laurent, Christian Louboutin, Jimmy Choo, Vivienne Westwood, Roger Vivier, Karl Lagerfeld and Zaha Hadid.

There will also be a host of additional exhibits, ranging from sketches and accessories to shoe lasts, including those of Charlie Chaplin, Paul Newman, Princess Diana and Dita Von Teese.

Visitors will also be able to admire footwear owned by or associated with high profile figures including David Beckham, Kylie Minogue, The Queen Mother and Elton John; and see the notorious pair of Vivienne Westwood platforms that caused supermodel Naomi Campbell to stumble on the catwalk in 1993.

The final section of the exhibition, Obsession, will immerse visitors in the world of the shoe collector. Co-curated by Swire Properties and the V&A, this section will explore the private collection of a local public figure.

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