The Famous
Imelda Marcos
Shoe Collection
Now Available as
Museum-Quality
Art Prints
To Help
Homeless
Children
Living Rough
on the Streets
of Manila
A Unique Project Brings Together Art, Politics and History to Help Children Living Rough on the Streets of Manila.
The legend of Imelda Marcos Shoe Collection refuses to die.
In 1986 the People Power Revolution in the Philippines forced President Ferdinand Marcos and First Lady Imelda Marcos into exile.
When protesters stormed the Malacañang Palace in Manila they were astonished to discover –
3000 pairs of luxury shoes.
Now, 40 years later, it is coming to the aid of thousands of poor, vulnerable children living on the streets of Manila.
Sole Support has been established as a not-for-profit UK Community Interest Company (CIC) whose sole purpose is to raise funds to help these poor children.
'They went to my closets looking for skeletons, but all they found were shoes, beautiful shoes"
Imelda Marcos Shoe Collection
Discovery of the Imelda Marcos shoe collection has become the most memorable event from that momentous historical episode. Today, Sole Support celebrates this extraordinary shoe collection by offering museum-quality designer shoe art print, preserving the story of Imelda Marcos for future generations.
Shoes That Made history
These shoes were silent witnesses to extraordinary history: presidential power, state visits, political upheaval, revolution and exile. They were present as world leaders met, governments changed and the Philippines captured global attention. More than fashion, they became enduring symbols of an extraordinary era whose events reverberated far beyond Manila.
In 2008 British Artist A. J. Green, Embarked on a Project to Imortalise These Historic Shoes in a Series of Oil Paintings.
Thirty-Six Portraits of History
With the help and support of The Former First Lady of The Philippines Imelda Marcos and the Marikina Shoe Museum, artist A. J. Green has created a series of 36 stunning Pre-Raphaelite style shoe portraits chacterised by fine detail and dramatic chiaroscuro.
Portraits With a Purpose
A. J. Green worked directly with Imelda Marcos, examining, photographing and documenting shoes from the famous collection before creating the series of oil paintings. This unique access gives the Sole Support project exceptional historical authenticity and provenance.
Every Imelda Shoe Portrait Sold Creates a Fixed Donation of 25% to Help the Street Children of Manila.
Every Night an Estimated 75,000 Children Are Sleeping Rough on the Streets of Metro Manila*
Every night children bed down on the pavements and sidewalks of Manila with a cardboard box as their mattress, exhausted from roaming the streets begging.
Some are as young as five or six. Sleeping in groups or solo, they have grown impervious to the roaring traffic, diesel fumes and indifference of passers by.
Buy a Print 🛒
In exchange for a conversation-stopping Shoe Print you can help take these children off the streets of Manila and give them food, shelter and a new life.
Buying just one Shoe Print can feed 75 kids with a nutritious meal.
Imagine 75 hungry kids eating a healthy meal of chicken rice and vegetables - because you bought a Shoe Print.
Gift of Hope 🥰
Consider your Sole Support print as a gift from the children whose lives you have helped. It's their silent 'thank you' to an anonymous benefactor.
Displayed on your wall it becomes a constant reminder of the extremes of humanity - wealth, avarice, poverty and suffering.
On the Front Line 🙏
Sole Support partners with Kanlungan Ministry. Since 1988 they have worked to protect, rehabilitate, educate, and provide Christian care to street children, abandoned youth, and victims of abuse or trafficking.
In 2022 head of Kanlungan Ministry, Consuelo Misa Balbero, was awarded the Saint Teresa of Calcutta Award in recognition of their steadfast commitment to children’s welfare and protection.
Make a Donation 👉
The shoes turn an historic symbol into practical help for children but you can also help by making a donation. Just £25 ($30) can take a child off the streets for 30 days and into a safe and caring environment.
A child off the streets is a child saved from physical and sexual abuse, chronic malnutrition and untreated illnesses. Support Sole Support and help children suffering terrible deprivation.
We value whatever you can spare. Your support helps kids in dire need.
* UNICEF Field Estimates 2026
Browse Through This Unique Collection of Imelda Marcos Shoe Prints
Sole Support FAQs
Why is the Imelda Marcos shoe collection so famous?
The Imelda Marcos shoe collection became one of the world's most recognised symbols of wealth and political history after thousands of shoes were discovered in Malacañang Palace following the 1986 Philippine Revolution. Today, many of these historic shoes are preserved in the Marikina Shoe Museum. Sole Support transforms selected shoes from this extraordinary collection into museum-quality art prints that also help vulnerable children in the Philippines.
Are these genuine museum-quality art prints?
Yes. Every Sole Support print is a professionally produced fine art print on premium archival paper, faithfully reproducing A. J. Green's original oil paintings. The prints provide exceptional colour, detail and longevity suitable for display in homes, offices and galleries.
Are the paintings based on the original Imelda Marcos shoes?
Yes. Every painting is inspired by an original shoe worn by Imelda Marcos. Artist A. J. Green worked with the Marikina Shoe Museum and, with the support of Madame Imelda Marcos, documented and painted many shoes from this remarkable collection, preserving an important chapter of fashion history.
How does buying a print help street children in Manila?
Every purchase helps fund projects supporting vulnerable children living in extreme poverty in Manila via our partner charity Kanlungan Ministry. Proceeds from every museum-quality art print contribute towards food, education, healthcare and practical support through Sole Support's charitable partnerships.
Who painted the original artworks?
The original paintings were created by British artist A. J. Green in a rich Pre-Raphaelite-inspired oil painting style. Each portrait celebrates the craftsmanship and history of a single designer shoe while supporting Sole Support's humanitarian mission.
Why combine fashion history with children's charity?
Sole Support believes extraordinary stories can create extraordinary change. By transforming one of history's most famous shoe collections into museum-quality art prints, the project preserves an important piece of fashion history while helping vulnerable children living on the streets of Manila.
Where are many of Imelda Marcos’s shoes kept?
Many shoes from the Imelda Marcos Shoe Collection are associated with the Marikina Shoe Museum in the Philippines. Sole Support photographed numerous shoes there when the project began in 2008, providing valuable reference material for the original oil paintings.
BUY A PRINT AND HELP A CHILD
Help turn these symbols of excess into food, shelter, love
and support for thousands of impoverished children.