Bernardo Rudofsky began business in Italy in 1946. He is credited with inventing the modern day sandal for women. This full page ad for Bernardo's "Moon Sandal" appeared in Vogue in 1967. Picnic at a monastary, anyone? I love the fact there is a portable record player with several rock and roll albums on the blanket. The monk sure is having fun!
The copy from the ad reads as follows:
"The Un-Ascetic Sandal
When you get down to the basics in sandals, you get pretty close to what a 15th century monk wore around the monastery.
Bernardo says even the sandal that's basic enough to be right with bathing suits, party pyjamas and everything in between, doesn't have to be a bore.
These bright shining discs, more at home on the moon than in a monastery, are Bernardo's "Moon Sandals" designed for 20th century people by Eva Sonnino."
The Bernardo Footwear company is still in business today. In Spring 2011, the company re-released two vintage styles in limited editions. The Moon in Madras sandal was one of them. The sandals are hand crafted in Italy and there are still limited sizes available of the Moon Sandal in red. You can shop for them here.