© 2023 Bata Shoe Museum, Toronto, Canada (Photo: Margaret Mulligan)
The global fashion market was valued at 1.53 trillion U.S. dollars in 2022. To understand today’s consumer habits, the Bata Shoe Museum is examining consumerism and self-expression by surveying a decade famous for its excess, the 1980s.
“The 1980s was a fascinating decade, where personal style was closely linked to the pursuit of success,” says Nishi Bassi, Curator and Exhibitions Manager at Bata Shoe Museum. “This exhibition explores some of the biggest trends and brands of the decade, and how advertising encouraged consumption. Visitors are invited to come to the exhibition to experience joyful nostalgia but also to think critically about how this decade continues to influence our consumer habits of today.”
Culturally, the 1980s were defined by conservative politics, globalization, and technological innovation. Self-improvement and the pursuit of individual success were strongly encouraged, and fashion was promoted as a way to both achieve and flaunt a successful career, a desirable body, and an enviable lifestyle. Shopping malls and mail-order catalogues, as well as advertisements in film, television, and music videos, encouraged materialism and fed a generation of consumers who were dressing to impress. The Bata Shoe Museum will transform the gallery space into a 1980s-inspired shopping mall, taking visitors back in time to experience the full effect of the decade.
Exhibition Highlights
Dressed to Impress: Footwear and Consumerism in the 1980s features over 80 pairs of shoes spanning the decade and organized into six sections: Dressed for Success; Work Hard, Play Hard; Let’s Get Physical; Mainstream Rebels; Pump it Up; and Designer Highlights. Here are a few of the top highlights:
The exhibition runs from 28th September, 2023 - 16th March, 2025.
The Bata Shoe Museum is open Monday to Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sundays from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m.