* IN YOU BEEN SNAP BLOG * That’s shoe business! Museum is home to the World's largest collection of footwear "12,000pairs and counting"

*MKILETEWA HAPA NA MISS FB FLORA BAHATI LYIMO *

If you thought Carrie Bradshaw's footwear collection in Sex and the City was impressive, then you might want to think again.

For Northampton is home to the world's largest collection of shoes, with more than 12,000 pairs on display in its roomy museum, which one commentator refers to as a 'giant shoebox'.

From enormous canvas elephant boots from the Fifties to ivory satin slippers worn by Queen Victoria on her wedding day, on February 10 1840, the vast hoard demonstrates how fashions have changed over the past century.

These wet look 'fetish' court shoes with a seven inch heel, date from around 1975 and are size 11 and, therefore, it is assumed that they are for the male 'glamour' market;

The Northampton Museum and Art Gallery officially re-opened last week following six-month £310,000 refurbishment, which has seen state-of-the-art lighting installed, new flooring laid and modern display cases put in.

 

Step back in time: The pair of white satin shoes worn by Queen Victoria on her wedding day, February 10 1840;

aisee,sasa maboot ndo yalikuwa hivi !!
Hiki ni kitu cha GUU LA TEMBO ,chezea"

alafu Lotus inapendwa na wengi hata mimi nimeagizwa viatu vingi  sana vya Lotus " KUMBE WAMEANZIAMBALI HIVI"

A canvas and leather elephant boot made in 1959 by Lotus Ltd (hapo juu) and black and white platform sandal"

Councillor Brandon Eldred, who is responsible for museums said: 'We want visitors to be wowed from the minute they cross the threshold.

The association between Northampton and shoemaking dates back to the 15th Century, but during the 20th century engineering took over.

However the several brands are still in business including world renowned shoe maker, Church's Shoes, which remains in the Northampton factory it has inhabited since 1957.

This tribal crocodile shoe, is one of the more unusual exhibits on display at the Northampton Shoe Museum;

Women's red velvet embroidered shoes. c. 1920 by Yantorney, a shoemaker in Paris during the first quarter of the 20th century(hapo juu )   and a tapestry carpet shoe "

These ballet shoes were made for Moira Shearer for her role as Victoria Page in the 1948 film 'The Red shoes"