A white bas relief, depicting “Hebe and the Eagle”surrounded by a laurel wreath, marks the heel of one of the most iconic designs ever produced by British shoemaker Rayne. On the upper part of the shoe, a white-on-baby-blue jasper cameo, with the head in bas relief of a vestal, completes the look of the shoe, termed the “Wedgwood Jasperware” shoe, which was first produced in 1958. The shoe proved to be such a hit that in the winter of 1977, Wedgwood and Rayne reintroduced it in new, vibrant shades of primrose, lilac, and sage green. They came in court shoe, slingback and slide styles, and were even complemented with matching handbags.
Stories such as these will come to the fore at the Fashion and Textile Museum this May, with the exhibition “Rayne: Shoes for Stars” that explores the legacy of the British label. Founded by Henry & Mary Rayne in London in 1885, Rayne started out as a theatrical costumer that supplied footwear to many leading actors and dancers of the day, but quickly went on to become the favorite shoemaker of British royalty: Queen Elizabeth II wore Rayne shoes for her wedding to Prince Philip in 1947 and remained a devotee, while Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother, Princess Margaret, Princess Anne and Diana, Princess of Wales, were all once customers too.
By the late 1950s, Rayne shoes had expanded as far as the United States and the Far East, gaining popularity as it collaborated with couturiers such as Hardy Amies, Norman Hartnell, and Mary Quant, who designed her first leather stacked stiletto and Shirley Temple-style ankle-straps for Rayne in 1960. They also tapped Parisian shoe designer Roger Vivier, and supplied footwear to several leading French couture houses including Lanvin and Nina Ricci. Throughout, Rayne never stopped making shoes for show business. Among many others, they designed the footwear for Diana Rigg in The Avengers through the late 1960s; Elizabeth Taylor in Cleopatra, 1961; and Karen Allen in Indiana Jones: Raiders of the Lost Ark, 1981. The company stopped trading in 1993, a year after Sir Edward Rayne, the founder’s grandson, died, but has recently re-launched, tapping as its creative head Parisian designer Laurence Dacade, who has also designed footwear for Givenchy and Chanel, charging her with bringing a fresh, European edge to the quintessentially British brand. Over 100 designs will be on display, including those of Vivier and Quant, as well as Jean Muir and Bruce Oldfield.
 |
| Shoes for Stars showcases |
By the late 1950s, Rayne shoes had expanded as far as the United States and the Far East, gaining popularity as it collaborated with couturiers such as Hardy Amies, Norman Hartnell, and Mary Quant, who designed her first leather stacked stiletto and Shirley Temple-style ankle-straps for Rayne in 1960. They also tapped Parisian shoe designer Roger Vivier, and supplied footwear to several leading French couture houses including Lanvin and Nina Ricci. Throughout, Rayne never stopped making shoes for show business. Among many others, they designed the footwear for Diana Rigg in The Avengers through the late 1960s; Elizabeth Taylor in Cleopatra, 1961; and Karen Allen in Indiana Jones: Raiders of the Lost Ark, 1981. The company stopped trading in 1993, a year after Sir Edward Rayne, the founder’s grandson, died, but has recently re-launched, tapping as its creative head Parisian designer Laurence Dacade, who has also designed footwear for Givenchy and Chanel, charging her with bringing a fresh, European edge to the quintessentially British brand. Over 100 designs will be on display, including those of Vivier and Quant, as well as Jean Muir and Bruce Oldfield.
