Troy, Seymour
Biography
Seymour Troy, born in the textile city of Lodz, Poland, migrated to the United States as a child in 1910. He financed his way through school by selling shoes, and by 1923 he had saved enough money to open his own small factory. For his first firm, Troy chose the name "yrto" (an anagram of his name) in order to give the brand a European sound. Eventually, Troy produced custom shoes under the name Seymour Troy Originals, as well as a ready-made collection under the name Troylings.
In 1960, the National Shoe Retail Association gave Seymour Troy the first annual “Mercury” award to honor him for 35 plus years in the business and numerous valuable contributions to the footwear field. His contributions throughout the years include the asymmetrical strap silhouette; the open sandal; the rolled top opera pump; the baby doll toe; the platform sole; the use of elasticized leathers and vinyl and Lucite in shoes; and the “Valkyrie” – a series of shoes with high-rising instep cover that outdid the classic opera pump in popularity in the 1930s.
Troy passed away in 1975.
Found in 44 Collections and/or Records:
Pattern cutouts, undated
Three packets of shoe patterns made of cardstock and paper. Includes one leather cutout.
Pattern cutouts, undated
Four packets of shoe patterns made of cardstock, paper, and fabric. Also includes a few embellishments.
Pattern cutouts, undated
Two packets of shoe patterns made of cardboard, paper, cardstock, and fabric. Includes a few embellishments.
Pattern cutouts, undated
Cardboard patterns for vamps of different shapes and sizes.
Pattern cutouts, undated
Cardboard patterns for vamps of different shapes and sizes.
Photographs, 1955-1965, 1955-1965
Black and white photographs of shoes. Original documentation included note stating "Italian 'Pullovers' (Designs) 50s/60s." Also includes a photographic negative of a shoe.
Photographs, 1955-1965, 1955-1965
Black and white photographs of shoes. Original documentation included note stating "Italian 'Pullovers' (Designs) 50s/60s." Also includes a photographic negative of a shoe.
Publicity materials and clippings, undated
Contains publicity materials and clippings, all undated. Examples include printed images of shoes and pages from The Dunbar Style Service, a shoe industry publication from the early twentieth century. Also includes a printed advertisement for Troy's early brand, yrto.
Publicity materials and clippings, undated
Contains publicity materials and clippings, all undated. Examples include printed images of shoes and pages from The Dunbar Style Service, a shoe industry publication from the early twentieth century. Also includes a printed advertisement for Troy's early brand, yrto.
Publicity scrapbook, 1937-1939, 1937-1939
Scrapbook containing a variety of materials including many clippings from newspapers across the United States, letters from retail stores, photographs of window displays, a U.S. patent notice, promotional mailings, and more. Also includes a page of newspaper clippings from 1948.