{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O1812810"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O1812810/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2026PN5171/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2026PN5171/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"high","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2026PN5171","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2026PN0907","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2026PN0906","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2026PN5170","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":{"_iiif_pres":"https://iiif.vam.ac.uk/collections/O1812810/manifest.json","_alt_iiif_pres":[]}},"record":{"systemNumber":"O1812810","accessionNumber":"T.12:1&2-2026","objectType":"Pair of shoes","titles":[],"summaryDescription":"","physicalDescription":"Pair of shoes, the uppers low-heeleded ballerina pumps in black synthetic suede with long polyester satin ribbon ties designed to wrap around the leg; the platform soles of blond wood cut away under the heel and curved sharply upwards under the toe. The sole of the platform finished with a thin beige plastic sole.","artistMakerPerson":[],"artistMakerOrganisations":[{"name":{"text":"Oki Kutsu","id":"AUTH411856"},"association":{"text":"designers","id":"AAT25190"},"note":""},{"name":{"text":"Office","id":"A22873"},"association":{"text":"designed for","id":"x41471"},"note":""}],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[{"text":"ultrasuede","id":"THES286906"},{"text":"wood","id":"AAT11914"},{"text":"polyester","id":"x40781"}],"techniques":[],"materialsAndTechniques":"synthetic suede, wood, plastic, polyester satin ribbon","categories":[{"text":"Footwear","id":"THES48951"},{"text":"Fashion","id":"THES48957"},{"text":"Clothing","id":"THES48975"},{"text":"Accessories","id":"THES48998"}],"styles":[],"collectionCode":{"text":"T&F","id":"THES48601"},"images":["2026PN5171","2026PN0907","2026PN0906","2026PN5170"],"imageResolution":"high","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"006","id":"THES385816"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""},{"current":{"text":"006","id":"THES385816"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"shoes","id":"AAT46065"}],[{"text":"shoes","id":"AAT46065"}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"United Kingdom","id":"x29336"},"association":{"text":"sold","id":"x34778"},"note":""},{"place":{"text":"Italy","id":"x28927"},"association":{"text":"manufactured","id":"x29350"},"note":""}],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"2015","earliest":"2015-01-01","latest":"2015-12-31"},"association":{"text":"designed and made","id":"x39722"},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[{"object":{"text":"T.11:1-2026","id":"O1812809"},"association":"Original"}],"creditLine":"Given anonymously","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Height","value":"14","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"27/01/2026","earliest":"2026-01-27","latest":"2026-01-27"},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Width","value":"8","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"27/01/2026","earliest":"2026-01-27","latest":"2026-01-27"},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Length","value":"28","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"27/01/2026","earliest":"2026-01-27","latest":"2026-01-27"},"part":"","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"","marksAndInscriptions":[],"objectHistory":"The shoe brand Oki Kutsu was established in 2015 (some official sources state 2017) by the high street shoe chain OFFICE (founded 1983), which sells shoes that echo fashionable or desirable designs at affordable prices. Sometimes these echoes are so strong that accusations of copying might arise. This particular pair is so strikingly similar to a famous shoe design first created in 1985 by Vivienne Westwood called the 'Rocking Horse' shoe that when it was given anonymously to the V&A in 2015 along with a pair of Westwood's original shoes, it was suggested that the two pairs might have been used as evidence in a legal case raised by Vivienne Westwood against OFFICE, and subsequently sent to the Museum by person or persons unknown. While it has not been possible to locate a record of any such lawsuit, this may simply mean that if anything happened, it was settled out of court.\n\nDame Vivienne Westwood (1941-2022) was internationally famous as one of the most influential British fashion designers of the late 20th-century. Many of the designs she first created in the 1980s and 1990s continue to be produced by the Vivienne Westwood label, particularly her distinctive platform shoes. One of her first platform designs, in 1985, was the Rocking-Horse shoe whose wooden platform is carved to curve sharply upwards under the toe like a rocking horse, with a rectangular wedge of wood cut away underneath the heel, requiring the wearer to shift (or rock) their weight towards their toes to stand upright. The first design was a leather ballerina pump with two long leather straps wound around the ankle or lower leg, although Rocking Horse platforms with varied uppers were a runway staple in subsequent Westwood collections throughout the late 1980s, eventually superseded by high heeled platforms in the early 1990s. In the early 21st-century, Westwood, noting the strong demand for her vintage designs, began selling replicas of key designs, including the Rocking-Horse shoes.  Unchanged from their 1985 design other than the updated labelling, official replica shoes like these were made available from Vivienne Westwood retailers since the early 2000s.\r\n\r\nWhen the Westwood and Oki Kutsu shoes are compared side by side, a number of subtle variations become clear. It is difficult to say whether these make the Oki Kutsu shoes distinct enough to be considered a homage to Westwood's work, rather than an unauthorised copy. The Westwood shoes are completely flat-soled inside the shoe, while the Oki Kutsu examples have a slightly raised heel following the natural foot shape. The Westwood shoes have a black rubber sole and 100% leather uppers, while the Oki Kutsu pair has a brown sole blending with the wooden platform and synthetic suede uppers with polyester satin ribbons. The Oki Kutsu shoes also have a sky-blue interior and woven cloth label, whilst the Westwood shoes have a tanned leather interior with a stamped label.\n\n- Daniel Milford-Cottam, 28/01/2026","historicalContext":"","briefDescription":"'Rocking Horse' shoes by Oki Kutsu (Office) in imitation of Vivienne Westwood's 1985 design, made 2015. Black synthetic suede with wooden platform sole","bibliographicReferences":[],"production":"","productionType":{"text":"","id":""},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[],"partNumbers":["T.12:1-2026","T.12:2-2026"],"accessionNumberNum":"12","accessionNumberPrefix":"T","accessionYear":2026,"otherNumbers":[],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":[],"recordModificationDate":"2026-04-20","recordCreationDate":"2025-12-08","availableToBook":false}}