Dictionary

The d’Orsay (pronounced door-say) pump is a women’s shoe in which the inside, or both sides, of the shoe is cut away, revealing the arch of the foot, and the vamp is cut very close to the toe box.

A curious fact is that originally in the 1800s, d’orsay pumps have been worn by men. They were created by a prominent noble, Alfred Guillaume Gabriel, the Count d’Orsay. Though the Count may have created these shoes with military men in mind, later they ended up becoming one of the most classic, enduring styles in women’s footwear.