Why Do We Call Sharp High Heels Stilettos?

As controversial as they are, a stylish pair of killer heels is a core part of so many wardrobes that It is difficult to find a luxury fashion marketplace or fashion house that does not make a pair, even if they do not typically make other types of shoes.

The stiletto heel, commonly seen on either stylish pumps, boots or other types of high-class shoes, is exceptionally popular because they make people look a little taller, their legs a little longer and they accentuate the figure, particularly when paired with a relatively tight dress.

There is also a sense of gravity-defying wonder about them; even if you know that they initially used a strong steel arch to keep the body upright, it still didn’t quite look possible, and so many different fashion styles and movements benefit from a pair of stilettos.

However, the name itself has a rather curious history, one that predates the shoes themselves by centuries, with a fascinating cross-continental history.

Incisive Mercy

The word stiletto originates from the Latin word “stilus”, a sharp tool used to engrave wax tablets dating back to Ancient Rome and was originally used to describe a particular type of sharp, pointed knife that started to become popular at the tail end of the Middle Ages.

It was used primarily to deliver a “strike of mercy” (coup de grace) as well as for cleaning cannons and measuring powder levels, often having marks to help measure this.

This would change by the 15th century when the stiletto knife became highly popular amongst particularly unscrupulous characters because they were so easy to hide, could piece through leather and heavy clothing, and were difficult to discover until the perpetrator had fled the scene.

They were banned as a treacherous weapon in Italy, and when it emerged again in New Orleans as the signature weapon of the infamous Black Hand extortion racket in the late 19th century, they were banned there too.

However, by that point, the high heel had come back into style, albeit as a predominantly women’s shoe compared to their historical androgyny, and due to the improvements in shoemaking technology, they quickly started to get thinner and thinner.

The Key To The Killer Heel

Exactly who invented the stiletto heel is a matter of debate in fashion circles as at least two legendary shoemakers have been credited with its invention, however the one with perhaps the earliest claim and the person who made it possible was Salvatore Ferragamo.

After popularising the platform shoe thanks to the striking Rainbow shoe inspired by Judy Garland and The Wizard of Oz, he experimented with new, stronger materials after the Second World War, developing the steel arch that could help to support the bottom of the foot.

At some point between 1948 and 1954, either Mr Ferragamo himself, Roger Vivier or André Perugia created the first stiletto shoe as we recognise them today, and much like the Little Black Dress, the stiletto is a luxury fashion staple that has endured even as trends and tastes change.