Maginel Wright Barney's Capezio Flats

Maginel Ellen Wright Capezio Hand Embroidered Flats. Sarara Vintage.

Maganela Shoes. Circa 1950. Image Sarara Vintage.

These unassuming little Capezio flats have quite an interesting history.  I touched on their significance in a post on the Vintage Bulletin, but have resolved to discuss these in more depth here.  Most of you know the work of Frank Lloyd Wright but his sister who was born Margaret Ellen Wright was also a known artist.   She was the younger sister of Frank of course, but also a children's book illustrator (63 books total), fashion designer and author.  She was called Maggi Nell, short for Margaret Ellen which was then shortened to Maginel.   Born in 1881, she studied illustration at the Art Institute of Chicago, under Frederick Richardson.  Maginel created artwork well into her 80's.

Maganela Tag, The name of her fashion line. Image rights Sarara Vintage.

Her endeavors in the fashion world include an interesting history. One the Wisconsin Historical website  discusses in depth:

Close up of embroidery on the flats. Image Sarara Vintage.

"Maginel was inspired to take up needlework after seeing a peasant costume that belonged to her sister-in-law, Olgivanna Wright. After working for some time to improve the quality of her work, Maginel supposedly wore one of her brightly-colored, embroidered jackets to a party, where it was so appealing that she returned home with over twenty orders for others like it. Her high fashion items became so popular, however, that within a short time cheap imitations were being sold in department stores for a fraction of the cost of the custom-made garments.

Around 1940, changes in the world of fashion along with restrictions imposed by the current worldwide conflict combined to propel another of Maginel’s creative efforts to widespread popularity. Prior to that time she had often crafted fleece-lined felt slippers, which she blanket-stitched together and trimmed with beads, sequins, and bits of yarn as gifts for women friends and relatives. For male family members, Maginel made black felt scuffs on which she embroidered images depicting Adam and Eve. (Correspondence reveals that Frank received at least two pairs as Christmas gifts.) About this time the casual women’s shoes now known as “flats” or “skimmers” were introduced by the Capezio Company, which since its founding in 1887 had been known for fine quality footwear for dancers. In 1939 the firm introduced what it called the “ballet shoe,” their basic ballet slipper with a more substantial sole and low heel suitable for the street rather than the dance floor.

During this period Maginel was kept busy creating custom versions of the Capezio flat shoes and others which the company introduced around the same time. Through a friend who worked for the Capezio firm, she was able to acquire quantities of their basic models to which she initially applied custom decorations similar to those she had used on her handmade slippers. Later she added faux jewels and a variety of metallic braids as well as a small tag bearing her new professional name, Maganela. Instead of leather, however, Maginel’s custom Capezio shoes were made of colored felt, the choice of material dictated by wartime shortages of hides due to increased military demands for leather" (For more see: Maginel Wright Barney Fashion Bio).

I was also on the hunt for a portrait of Margaret, as well as images of other pieces from her line, but I could not find them online. Thus, one must go to archives, newspapers and such to begin a more in depth search. The fashion pieces are indeed very rare. These shoes were found in the collection of a woman who was in her 90's and had lived in the family Victorian in New Jersey. It had housed three generations of the same family, with history packed from all these generations in the attic, basement and closets.  I also acquired the family collection of Victorian and Edwardian clothing.

Bottom view of flats. Sarara Vintage.

I found the flats on one last look through the wardrobe. They were in what seemed to be an empty shoe storage case hanging in the closet. I reached inside and felt them. When I pulled them out I was surprised.  They were literally the last thing purchased from the collection. The little flats are embroidered with steel cut and glass beads. As an Anthropologist and fashion lover both Margaret's as well as their history appealed to me.  After various discussions with the Vintage Fashion Guild more was ascertained about what at first seemed to be cute 1940's flats.  The date seems to be pinned to the 1950's maybe late 1940's.  I thought it would be worth discussing in more details here and I hope you enjoyed them.  You can see various views of the shoes for sale at Sarara Vintage. They will be moved to Sararacouture.com coming soon. I am pulling together all of my couture, designer and runway/antique stunner pieces for this site.  I will also merge my jewelry designs there where one can commission pieces.