I. Miller | Women's Footwear in America

My sister who lives in my grandfather’s former home in Florida found a few shoes stored in her garage. 1 pair of I. Miller, 1 pair of Daniel Green and 1 Crik-etts. The I. Miller and Daniel Green look like they’re from the 1930’s. It’s a mystery as to why he would have saved them since he didn’t leave Schwartz & Benjamin until the 1940’s and joined I. Miller in the 1950’s. They look like samples to me — too small to belong to my grandmother Rose. They may have been his designs that were copied (Patent). Unfortunately with the relentless Florida humidity the shoes are in sad shape.

I. Miller Shoes

March 16, 2014 § 14 Comments

In 1952 my grandfather Ben Benjamin became the General Manager for the I. Miller Shoe Company.

I. Miller – A Little Jewel Box of a Shoe Store, New York Times Feb. 10th, 2008

Follow up to the 2008 New York Times article: At Restored Landmark in Times Square, Mixing ‘Brash and Beautiful’

Andy Warhol

I. Miller Shoe Advertisement from The New York Times, April 17th, 1955.

Andy Warhol found early success as a commercial artist and was hired by I. Miller as their chief illustrator in the 1950’s.

1954

Courtesy The Library of Congress: Reproduction Number: LC-G612-T-36355-B,Call Number: LC-G612- 36355-B <p&p> [P&P] Date Created/Published: 1939 Oct. 21.

CRIK-ETTS

March 15, 2014 § Leave a comment

My grandfather, Ben Benjamin created a shoe called Crik-etts that boasted the first flexible sole. I found these clippings with some other things he gave me. He didn’t tell me much about it. I wish I had known to ask him about this part of his life and also his days at I. Miller that followed.