Philippines Pumps and peep-toes: museum exhibits Imelda Marcos' shoes
The name Imelda Marcos will probably remain indelibly linked to her greatest passion for all eternity: Shoes. Whether pumps, peep-toes, boots or sandals - the former First Lady of the Philippines, who is now 95 years old, owned them all in hundreds and in every color of the rainbow. The shoe museum in Marikina in the north of the capital region of Metro Manila still bears witness to the shoe addiction of the famous and controversial dictator's widow.
03.01.2025, 14:59
03.01.2025, 15:00
SDA
The location was not chosen at random: Marikina is known nationwide for its shoe industry. Imelda Marcos is said to have once owned thousands of pairs - from Gucci to Dior and Ferragamo to Prada. 381 of them can be seen in the museum, which is housed in a building from the Spanish colonial era.
Many of them were destroyed
When it opened its doors almost a quarter of a century ago in the presence of Imelda Marcos, there were still around 800 pairs - the passage of time and flooding have destroyed many of them. The remaining ones are now on display in airtight showcases.
A look back: For two decades from 1965, the Marcos regime shamelessly oppressed the people and led a jet-set life of luxury. After the angry population chased Ferdinand (1917-1989) and Imelda out of the country in 1986, more than 800 handbags and 500 evening gowns were found in the cupboards of the Malacañang Palace - in addition to the huge collection of shoes.
"I never had 3,000 pairs," she said from exile at the time. "There were 1060." One of her former telephones is also on display in the museum - in the form of a silver high-heeled shoe, of course.
Ex-first lady visits her shoes
Imelda, whose son Ferdinand Jr. is now President, has been back in the Philippines since 1991. Usually adorned with jewels, the former beauty queen likes to say that her heart actually beats for the poor. Most Filipinos still call her "Madam" today.
Imelda Marcos last visited the shoe museum last July, says a member of staff. "She stopped the longest at her own large portrait. She had tears in her eyes - probably out of nostalgia for earlier times." The life-size picture is flanked by two display cases filled with around 100 custom-made shoes made in Marikina, some of which even bear her name - all of which are Imelda's favorite shoes.
