The History of Ballet Slippers

For many decades, ballet was performed in heeled shoes. Then in the 1730s, Paris Opéra Ballet dancer Marie Camargo became the first ballerina to wear flat shoes during a performance. Because ballet slippers facilitated more complex footwork, other ballerinas followed suit. In the 1800s and 1900s, pointework emerged as a new style of ballet dancing and shoes evolved accordingly, but most dancers still used regular ballet slippers most of the time. Eventually, Salvatore Capezio opened a store across from the Metropolitan Opera House. Reportedly tired of the constant upkeep and repairs he had to make to ballerina’s slippers, he made several adjustments to the design and materials, creating the modern ballet slipper. Capezio also facilitated the ballet slipper’s transition from ballet to fashion when he created an off-stage version commissioned by Claire McCardell in the mid-1900s. Later, Italian designer Rose Repetto was commissioned by Brigette Bardot to create a pair of ballet flats for her to wear in the film, And God Created Woman. Ballet flats specially designed for everyday wear (rather than the soft-soled slippers worn on a stage) went on to become a women’s fashion staple and were considered especially trendy in the 1960s and again in the 2010s. However, the ballet shoe’s crossover into the world of fashion didn’t alter its importance in the world of dance. Ballet slippers continue to be worn by ballerinas all over the world today and are arguably the most essential piece of gear for dancing ballet.