Rose Shoes
Rose Shoes had a prime location on Petticoat Lane (Middlesex Street) in an area famous for the sale of clothes and shoes. Rose sold well-known British Brands, French and American imports, and his own lines produced in local factories.
David Rose (Rose Shoes). David Rose (1892-1975) opened his shoe shop at 52 Middlesex Street around 1917, and lived in the rooms upstairs with his wife Esther and her family. One of Esther's sisters worked for him, the rest of the family worked in cap making. Rose was born into a Jewish family in Stepney. He collected an amazing stock of shoes over his years in business. His rooms were bursting with hoarded items including 1930s German banknotes and stamps, packets of salt and pepper, and shop sales materials.
Mr Rose's children did not join the family business, so the shop closed after his death. A young fashion graduate and previous customer named Alan Flux bought all the remaining stock from one of his sons. Mr Rose had hoarding tendencies, and kept much old stock over his decades in business.
These 1920-30s men's were found by Flux once the shop had closed. While elegant, they would have been considered flashy in their time. Flux believed that Rose catered to a colourful mix of East End customers who he described as: 'street boys [...] spivvy people [...] people who wanted a very flashy look to their feet.
Alan Flux had encountered Mr Rose in his later years and described him as a 'very irascible old man'. He lived and worked in the shop which was overflowing with old stock.*
From the exhibition
Fashion City
(October 2023 – July 2024)
How Jewish Londoners shaped global style
For the first time, this exhibition uncovered the major contribution of Jewish designers in making London an iconic fashion city.
Fashion City shone a light on the Jewish fashion makers who became leaders in their industries and founded retail chains still on the high street today. And also dressed the rich and famous: David Bowie, Princess Diana and Mick Jagger – to name just a few.
Key industry figures were featured, like wedding dress designer Netty Spiegel, milliner Otto Lucas, the iconic Mr Fish and legendary David Sassoon. These stories were brought to life by fashion and textiles, oral histories, objects and photography
[*London Museum]
Taken at Museum of London Docklands
Rose Shoes
Rose Shoes had a prime location on Petticoat Lane (Middlesex Street) in an area famous for the sale of clothes and shoes. Rose sold well-known British Brands, French and American imports, and his own lines produced in local factories.
David Rose (Rose Shoes). David Rose (1892-1975) opened his shoe shop at 52 Middlesex Street around 1917, and lived in the rooms upstairs with his wife Esther and her family. One of Esther's sisters worked for him, the rest of the family worked in cap making. Rose was born into a Jewish family in Stepney. He collected an amazing stock of shoes over his years in business. His rooms were bursting with hoarded items including 1930s German banknotes and stamps, packets of salt and pepper, and shop sales materials.
Mr Rose's children did not join the family business, so the shop closed after his death. A young fashion graduate and previous customer named Alan Flux bought all the remaining stock from one of his sons. Mr Rose had hoarding tendencies, and kept much old stock over his decades in business.
These 1920-30s men's were found by Flux once the shop had closed. While elegant, they would have been considered flashy in their time. Flux believed that Rose catered to a colourful mix of East End customers who he described as: 'street boys [...] spivvy people [...] people who wanted a very flashy look to their feet.
Alan Flux had encountered Mr Rose in his later years and described him as a 'very irascible old man'. He lived and worked in the shop which was overflowing with old stock.*
From the exhibition
Fashion City
(October 2023 – July 2024)
How Jewish Londoners shaped global style
For the first time, this exhibition uncovered the major contribution of Jewish designers in making London an iconic fashion city.
Fashion City shone a light on the Jewish fashion makers who became leaders in their industries and founded retail chains still on the high street today. And also dressed the rich and famous: David Bowie, Princess Diana and Mick Jagger – to name just a few.
Key industry figures were featured, like wedding dress designer Netty Spiegel, milliner Otto Lucas, the iconic Mr Fish and legendary David Sassoon. These stories were brought to life by fashion and textiles, oral histories, objects and photography
[*London Museum]
Taken at Museum of London Docklands