I think we have an excellent post from Jacques this week. He is writing about himself in the third person for the first time. I hope this blog isn’t getting to his head!

From Jacques:

The “Damas” vinylite sling glass heel with rhinestones.

Jacques Levine made the first “vinylite” shoe. How did this happen?

Back in 1938 a chemist from the “DuPont” factory in nearby Newburgh came to the factory in Middletown one Wednesday afternoon with this new clear plastic material and asked founder “Falk Levine” if he would work on this material through his manufacturing process to see how it could be adopted to shoes.

Busy Falk Levine called his son Jacques into the office. The 16 year old was working in the factory after school that day, already having been trained on many manufacturing operations. After a short discussion, Jacques and the chemist proceeded to see how it worked. This continued for several Wednesdays as the chemist returned with improved versions so the material could be sewn, cut, lasted, etc. and with new adhesives so it could be attached. Soon slippers and evening shoes were flying out of the factory. While the Levine’s were not anxious to replace quality leather with plastics, they immediately saw the potential of this see-through material to fit in with their theory that sex is the basis of fashion.

It also proved to be a big help as the soon to come World War 2 made leather a scarce commodity and this kept up production going during the war.

- Jacques