Carriage boots
Unknown Artist
1880–95
Medium
Silk, fur
Classification
Carriage boots
Culture
French
Department
Costume Institute
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Brooklyn Museum Costume Collection at The Metropolitan Museum of Art, Gift of the Brooklyn Museum, 2009; Gift of Mrs. William F. Knief, 1966
Accession Number
2009.300.5564a, b
Art Historical Context
Step into the elegant world of late 19-century French fashion with these exquisite *Carriage Boots*, crafted between 1880 and 1895. During the Belle Époque, when horse-drawn carriages were the height of urban transport for the elite, these boots served a practical yet luxurious purpose: shielding ladies' feet from chilly winds, splashing mud, and road grime while riding in open vehicles. Produced in France, a global epicenter of haute couture, reflect the era's blend of functionality and opulence, designed for women of high society who valued both style and comfort. Made from sumptuous silk a...