"Shoes: from sandals to sneakers" is the first book to describe the world history of shoes from ancient times to the present day. Leading their readers through the complex and diverse world of footwear, authors turn to the customs and material culture of Europe, America, Asia and Africa for examples. The pages of the collection touch on a wide variety of topics related to shoes: the erotic subtext of antique straps, the horror of medieval moralists in front of long-nosed shoes, the role of shoes in religious rituals, the evolution of male panache in the 18th century, the process of post-Freudian sexualization of shoes, the history of high heels, the secret of the extraordinary popularity of sneakers and much more. The reader will also get acquainted with shoe designers who have become cult figures in the world of modern fashion.