Item HT 11324 Shoe - Paragon, 'Practical Shoes', Court, White & Tan Leather, Left, 1936

Summary

White and tan leather left shoe, made by Paragon in 1936, from the "Practical Shoes" design range. It was probably sold at Myer, since 'Myer' is inscribed in the shoe.

Paragon Shoes Pty Ltd was one of the most significant 20th century Australian shoe retailers, and at one time was the largest manufacturer of high quality of women's shoes in Australia. Its shoes were sold throughout Australia and New Zealand. The Paragon factory was located in Argyle St, Fitzroy, in the 1920s, one of the largest single-storied factories in Australia.After reaching the height of its business in the late 1980s, with 100,000 pairs of shoes produced per year, Paragon closed in the early 1990s.

Physical Description

White and tan leather Paragon left shoe, size 8, comprised of a rounded toe and high heel. Uppers of white leather with panels of perforated circles and stitched borders. The toe, base of uppers and heel are covered with red/brown leather panels.

Significance

The Paragon Shoe Collection comprises over 90 objects, including pairs of shoes and single shoes, point-of-sale materials and promotional materials such as business cards and an umbrella bearing the company name. The Collection documents the business and products of Paragon Shoes Pty Ltd, one of the most significant 20th century Australian shoe retailers, and at one time the largest manufacturer of high quality of women's shoes in Australia. Its factory was located in Melbourne, and its shoes were sold throughout Australia and New Zealand.

The collection was largely donated by a member of the Davison family, which ran the Paragon business for most of the 20th century. It documents the changing designs of Australian women's footwear, from the 1910s to the 1980s. It illustrates the development of new shoe styles, from sample shoes bought overseas to shoes that went into production and were worn by Australian women. The collection is complemented by an archive held at the State Library of Victoria, including company records, shoe design sketch books and further point-of-sale material.