The infamous 3,000 pairs of shoes Imelda Marcos abandoned
when she and deposed dictator Ferdinand Marcos fled the Philippines
in 1986 became a symbol of government corruption and excess
in an impoverished nation. But though her husband died in
exile, Imelda has returned to the Philippines and even cut
the ribbon at the opening of the Galleria Imelda at the Marikina
Footwear Museum.
I was in Manila, only a
45-minute taxi ride away, and had to see this for
myself.
 |
| "Thank God, looking down deep into
the recesses of my closet they did not find skeletons.
They found shoes, beautiful shoes." - Imelda
Marcos |
Her shoe museum located in the "Shoe Capital of the Philippines"
is home to more than 200 pairs of the Iron Butterfly's size
8`BD shoes. "But she has 3,000 pairs of shoes," lamented a
museum guard identified as Sally. "We have only 219." But
she was quite sincere in her admiration of the former Miss
Manila. "Mrs. Marcos has helped with the promotion of the
shoe industry here since 1970," she stated solemnly.
During the Marcos
regime, local mayors and shoe factory owners in Marikina showed
their admiration and appreciation for Imelda's efforts by
frequently presenting her with custom-made shoes. In fact, the city
government kept Imelda's personal shoe last, a hardwood mold of the
shape of her foot, so that gifts of shoes would fit the First Lady
perfectly. Many of those special shoes (and even the shoe last) are
on display; almost all are pumps with local brand names like Maro,
Lady Rustan and Marlet Shoes.
Imelda's tastes are not
exclusively Filipino, however. Five identical pairs of black pumps
with rhinestone-encrusted heels by Parisian Charles Jourdan are
showcased, as well as other foreign labels like Beltrami, Bruno
Magli and Raphael Salato. The variety and quantity of shoes was
explained with, "Her schedule is from 3 a.m. to 10 p.m., so she
told us she changes clothes seven times a day." The gown Imelda
wore to Marcos' inauguration in 1965 is also in a display case
("It's made of pineapple," Sally offered.) It replaced the
exhibition of the gown she wore into exile because "she didn't want
to remember that." (Go figure.)
In addition, the museum
houses the shoes of other famous Filipinos. For the record, current
President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo's tattered cream pumps are
considerably smaller and less ostentatious than Imelda's. But the
highlight of the Marikina Footwear Museum had to be the captioned
photos of Imelda Marcos with world luminaries. For example, the
caption under a black-and-white photo of Imelda sitting with
Chairman Mao reads, "Her respect for the Chinese leader was close
to a daughter's admiration of a father."
According to other
captions, Imelda and Prince Charles discussed "ecological balance
in the design of cities" and "A very young Robert Kennedy saw in
the Marcoses the same visions the Kennedys had, the same enthusiasm
and vigor." The woman who once claimed to be "allergic to ugliness"
is also pictured with Ronald Reagan, Indira Gandhi, Fidel Castro,
Anwar Sadat, Jimmy Carter, Japan's Emperor Hirohito, the heads of
O.P.E.C., and Charles Lindbergh all undoubtedly impressed by her
stylish footwear.
It is about a 45-minute
taxi ride from Manila to the museum in Marikina, at the corner of
J.P. Rizal Street and Isabelo Mendoza Street, just off of Shoe
Street. Some Filipinos find interest in the museum perplexing. My
taxi driver was appalled that Imelda's legendary excess was being
promoted or even remembered. But the kitsch value is undeniable to
tourists who remember the schoolyard song, "Imelda, Imelda/She took
a million dollars and 10 thousand shoes/And flew to Honolulu" and
to anyone amused and/or bewildered by a character like Imelda R.
Marcos. As she told Saga
Magazine in 1998, "I
was born ostentatious. They will list my name in the dictionary
someday. They will use Imeldific' to mean ostentatious
extravagance." Indeed, Imeldific evidence awaits at the Marikina
Footwear Museum.
Jen Reeder
