Imelda Marcos's famous shoe collection

Witness History

BBC

Society & Culture, Personal Journals, History

4.5 • 1.6K Ratings

🗓️ 23 May 2024

⏱️ 11 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

In 2001, more than 700 pairs of Imelda Marcos’s shoes were put on display at the Marikina Shoe Museum in the Philippines.

The wife of the dictator President Ferdinand Marcos, became famous for buying shoes, while millions of Filipinos were living in poverty. It’s thought she had in around 3,000 pairs.

Ella Rule has been through the archive to tell the story of Imelda and her shoes.

Eye-witness accounts brought to life by archive. Witness History is for those fascinated by the past. We take you to the events that have shaped our world through the eyes of the people who were there. For nine minutes every day, we take you back in time and all over the world, to examine wars, coups, scientific discoveries, cultural moments and much more.

Recent episodes explore everything from football in Brazil, the history of the ‘Indian Titanic’ and the invention of air fryers, to Public Enemy’s Fight The Power, subway art and the political crisis in Georgia. We look at the lives of some of the most famous leaders, artists, scientists and personalities in history, including: visionary architect Antoni Gaudi and the design of the Sagrada Familia; Michael Jordan and his bespoke Nike trainers; Princess Diana at the Taj Mahal; and Görel Hanser, manager of legendary Swedish pop band Abba on the influence they’ve had on the music industry. You can learn all about fascinating and surprising stories, such as the time an Iraqi journalist hurled his shoes at the President of the United States in protest of America’s occupation of Iraq; the creation of the Hollywood commercial that changed advertising forever; and the ascent of the first Aboriginal MP.

(Photo: Imelda Marcos' shoe collection. Credit: Christophe LOVINY/Gamma-Rapho via Getty Images)

Transcript

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0:00.0	Take some time for yourself with soothing classical music from the mindful mix,
0:06.0	the Science of Happiness Podcast.
0:08.0	For the last 20 years I've dedicated my career to exploring the science of living a happier more meaningful life and I want
0:14.4	to share that science with you.
0:16.1	And just one thing, deep calm with Michael Mosley.
0:19.4	I want to help you tap in to your hidden relaxation response system and open the door to that
0:25.4	calmer place within. Listen on BBC Sounds. Thanks for downloading the witness history podcast from the BBC World Service with me Ella Rule.
0:48.0	I'm taking you back through the archives to Maricina in 2001, the Shoe Center of the Philippines,
0:51.0	and it's the opening of the country's first ever shoe museum.
0:54.4	Officials hope the museum will draw tourists to Marikina
0:59.1	known as the nation's shoemaking capital.
1:01.6	But they admit the museum owes its existence to the reputation of
1:05.5	the city's best known customer. That customer was a meldamarcos and it was Hirschuw
1:10.9	collection that commanded the largest display and it was none other than the former first lady herself who cut the ribbon at the museum's grand opening.
1:19.0	Because when they went to my glasses, they did not find skeletons, only shoes.
1:23.7	You beautifully made maricina shoes.
1:26.2	As for her reputation, well it depends on who you're asking, but lived an eventful life to say the least and in
1:36.0	1972 she was almost assassinated on live TV
1:53.0	Emmelda reinders first TV. always rich as she tells the BBC's Ruby Wax. He was a girl from countryside and she had a dream.
1:58.0	Did you want to be a simple girl?
2:00.0	Well, I did that. I could not say that. I could not say that I could not say that but I really could not stand politics.
2:07.0	Then she met Marcos within 30 minutes that were engaged and 11 days later married. It's a perfect way he'll never know the bad news until after you're married.
	...

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