18 February 2010 - 06 June 2010

This winter, Bellevue Arts Museum (BAM) brings to light the work and life of one of the greatest shoe designers of the 20th century: Beth Levine. Featuring ephemera and over 100 pairs of shoes and boots, this exhibition “Beth Levine: First Lady of Shoes” was originally organized by The Dutch Leather and Shoe Museum, where BAM is the only U.S. venue to showcase this fascinating exhibition. 

Long before the rise of Jimmy Choo and Christian Louboutin, Beth Levine (1914 - 2006) revolutionized the fashion world with her incredibly artful and irresistible shoe designs. A true visionary in her field, Levine popularized such styles as mules, stilettos and fashion boots. Her shoes became favorites among designers and celebrities alike, from Halston to Geoffrey Beene, Marilyn Monroe to Cher, as well as four of America’s First Ladies. 

Born in 1914 into a family of Jewish farmers on Long Island, NY, Beth Levine was the first successful female shoe designer in an era and field dominated by men. In 1950, Beth and her husband started a shoe factory in New York where she designed shoes under his name, Herbert Levine. Finding her start as a shoe model, she was uniquely suited to understanding the needs of women’s shoes, and was known for the comfort, wearability and beauty of her designs. Both practical and whimsical, she is credited with numerous ‘firsts’ such as the Spring-o-lator and the topless ‘No’ shoe. While the artist’s name remains virtually unknown, her designs are not, such as the iconic white go-go boots made famous by Nancy Sinatra’s 1966 song, “These boots are made for walkin’.” 

Often described as the science of everyday life, ergonomics uses the knowledge of human performance in conjunction with design and engineering to create systems, products and services which are safe, efficient and enjoyable to use. Our size and shape, how we move, what we see, hear and feel and how we think, all this information has been collated and applied by ergonomists to aid the design of both everyday and extraordinary objects. 

This engaging exhibition reveals the thought and process behind this science, exploring the theory, principles and methods used and applied to create usable, quality items. In an increasingly technological society, awareness of ergonomics is of paramount importance for designers and consumers alike. From the humble tape measure and TV remote control, to the vast and complex areas of transport systems and medical care, ergonomics is the study of how we interact with products, the relationship between man and machine, with the primary aim to optimise this symbiotic affiliation. 

Ergonomics is the unsung hero of good design and is often only noticeable by its absence, when a product is badly designed or fails to be user-friendly. It’s a thin line between mistaking the hot and cold tap to averting an air traffic disaster or power station meltdown. A misplaced element in either system can be fatal and whilst the consequences are majorly different the theory is much the same. 

Through prototypes, interactive displays and examples of ergonomically designed pieces including the Sky TV remote and the CERN Control Room, this exhibition reveals the importance that ergonomics plays in creating design for the real world. 

Dr Mark Young, Senior Lecture at Human-Centred Design Institute Brunel University said, “Ergonomics is about applying science and method to what might otherwise be assumed as common sense, you could call it ‘evidence-based design’ and this exhibition showcases the added value that ergonomics can bring to the design process.”