Evening slippers. Culture: French. Department Store: J. Petit. Designer: Melnotte. Date: 1845-65.Tiny black slippers were de rigueur in the fashionable mid-Victorian lady's wardrobe. Black shoes were felt to go with anything, hence the most versatile and dependable choice of footwear to have on hand. Slippers of this type are most commonly found in satin, so the faille fabric of this unworn pair is unusual. It is possible that the shoes were intended for mourning, when a dull-surfaced fabric was desired. The interesting label of the London vendor - written largely in French, noting the firm as exclusive agent, and mentioning the added stock of Parisian gloves, perfumes, and novelties - demonstrates the importance of imported French shoes and accessories in the contemporary market. Museum: Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, USA.