Dating Balenciaga shoes

[Vmode]

Hi all,

I bought these gorgeous soft suede heels this weekend, and was hoping to get an approx date. They are Balenciaga, with soles also reading "custom originals" and Made in America. On first glance in my rushed end of day purchase I thought them to be late 30s/40s, with that lovely scallop edge, but now I'm suspecting later.. When was American production? They also came with the original shoe trees and matching drawstring purse.
Any help appreciated!

 

[themerchantsofvintage]

Beautiful shoes. Would it be possible to have a profile shot showing the heel? I suspect 60s,
but I'm sure more shoe savvy people will add their thoughts.

 

[thespectrum]

I agree with Deborah about a possible 60s date (judging by the toe shape & the partial heel view)
& it would be helpful to see a profile shot of the heels.
Here is a pair of 50s Balenciaga shoes I sold, the insoles are the same as yours:

 

[Vmode]

Slightly better view, they've been re-healed at some point. The inner sole logo matches the 60s one on file in the label resource, but with the 'custom originals' addition.. I wonder if they were truly custom made, or if that was a ruse to sound more fancy ;)
The shoe trees, lovely as they are, have obviously been stored in the shoes for a long time, causing the upper of the shoes to take on their shape a little at the toe.. I've removed them and popped the shoes in the warmth, in the hope that they'll relax a bit back into original shape. Is there anything else I can do?

 

[Pinkcoke]

I would tend to agree with mid 1960s but I'm a little wary they are not later retro, as you say the shoe stretchers have damaged them and have altered the original shape which makes them look a little 'off' in shape. Do they have the leather symbol or any material content marked on them?
You can restore the shape of the uppers, but probably not the sole. I would stuff them with newspaper, toes and heels first then the arch. You have to really pack the paper in. (note I would not do this with anything delicate or silk, but leather is usually ok) On something that was not suede, you could do this with damp paper and leave them to dry for a stronger effect. I like to do it dry and leave for a good while.
The sole may return to original shape with regular wear if not too stretched. A good cobbler could reshape them professionally but it costs.

 

[Jonathan]

This line of shoes was not a licensed product of the French designer Balenciaga.

 

[Circa Vintage Clothing]

I agree with a '60s date for the shoes, but the heels look '80s to me.