World

A matter of numbers

Sep 6, 2013 World

A mathematical journey across the flat or vertiginous universe of shoes

3,000

Number of pairs of shoes that Imelda Marcos, wife of Philippine dictator Ferdinand Marcos, kept in her collection. Imelda’s collection was left abandoned and partially destroyed by floods and termites during the last 26 years of her exile.

2,880

Amount in euros that Christian Louboutin was obligated to pay Zara as the result of taking legal action against the Spanish brand that, in 2011, also began painting the soles of its shoes red. Because of the vagueness in which Louboutin trademarked his soles, other brands have been following his example, such as Saint Laurent Paris, with whom the designer is also involved in a legal battle.

Number of centimeters of the heel of the shoe-sculture, adorned with Swarovski crystals. Christian Louboutin created it for a fund-raising auction for English National Ballet.

2014

Until the 31st of March that year, you can visit a retrospective of the brilliant career of Salvatore Ferragamo, one of the most renowned footwear designers in the world. “The Amazing Shoemaker – Fairy Tales and Legends about Shoes and Shoemakers” will be open to the public at the Ferragamo Museum in Florence.

280,000

Number of pairs of shoes at the shoe department of Macy’s in New York. This department store is proud to have the largest shoe display area in the world.

Century in which a Persian ceramic bowl was made, with the first depiction of high-heel shoes. It was recorded by Elizabeth Semmelhack, curator of the Bata Shoe Museum, in Canada, which has a collection of 13,000 artefacts from 4,500-year-old Egyptian shoes to modern-day models.

Percentage of women who, according to a study by the American Paediatric Medical Association, admit they would wear a pair of shoes they really liked, even if they were uncomfortable.

Number of pairs produced by year in world, in billion.

World Exports