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Nova Shoe showcased in "Shoes: Pleasure and Pain" touring exhibition by the V&A Museum

The Victoria and Albert Museum’s acclaimed exhibition, “Shoes: Pleasure and Pain” is on display in Shanghai until 5 November. The exhibition, which debuted in London and includes the Nova Shoe by Zaha Hadid Design, features more than 140 pairs of shoes from around the world and from as far back as the 1370s. Visitors can explore iconic footwear by legendary designers including Salvatore Ferragamo, Saint Laurent, Christian Louboutin, Jimmy Choo, Vivienne Westwood, Roger Vivier and Karl Lagerfeld. The exhibition, curated by Helen Persson, examines the transformative power of footwear and how it has been used to express personality and capture identity throughout history. A collaboration between United Nude and Zaha Hadid Design, the Nova shoe combines innovative materials and ergonomic considerations; incorporating intricate striations juxtaposed with dramatic realignments to convey the shoe’s structure and express the dynamic forces applied with each step. Zaha Hadid Designs’ innovative approach and United Nude’s advanced shoe engineering resulted in a revolutionary shoe for which an entirely new way of shoe-making was invented. Employing techniques such as injection molding and vacuum casting, Nova was the first shoe in history to use rotation molding, giving the shoe its seamless finish. Nova’s upper is in metallic chromed vinyl rubber lined with the highest quality Italian kid nappa leathers. The shoe’s hidden platform and cantilevered heel are in fiberglass with the outsole cast in rubber. The Victoria and Albert Museum’s “Shoes: Pleasure and Pain” exhibition is now touring China,  debuting in Shanghai at HKRI Taikoo Hui until 5 November. The exhibition will travel to Chengdu, Guangzhou and Beijing before being showcased at Pacific Place in Hong Kong. “Shoes: Pleasure and Pain” exhibition HKRI Taikoo Hui Wujiang Rd, NanJing XiLu, Jingan Qu, Shanghai Shi, China, 200000 Video: The Making of the Nova Shoe Video: Nova Shoe Victoria and Albert Museum Archive