Before Andy Warhol became synonymous with Pop Art, he worked as a successful commercial illustrator in New York during the 1950s. One of his most charming and distinctive bodies of work from this period was his series of shoe illustrations including Gee, Merrie Shoes.

Created while working for fashion magazines and department stores such as Glamour, Harper’s Bazaar, and I. Miller Shoes, these whimsical drawings combined Warhol’s signature "blotted line" technique with delicate hand-colouring. The result was a playful, slightly imperfect line quality that felt both elegant and human.

Gee, Merrie Shoes reflects the lighthearted spirit of postwar fashion illustration, fanciful titles, witty captions, and a sense of personality given to the shoes themselves. This series not only captured the glamour and optimism of the 1950s but also revealed Warhol’s fascination with celebrity, branding, and consumer imagery, themes that would define his later Pop Art.