Step into Brooklyn Museum's "Killer Heels" Exhibit with an Array of Amazing Designer Kicks

Derived from the word for dagger, the stiletto has become a sometimes dangerous fixture in the way women dress. Starting today through Feb. 15, 2015, some of the most alluring, towering ones will be on display at Brooklyn Museum’s "Killer Heels: The Art of the High-Heeled Shoe." Organized in six thematic sections, the exhibit features over 160 different pair of shoes—like the Miu Miu platform shown above—and includes designers like Christian Louboutin, Roger Vivier, and Elsa Schiaparelli.

"Seeing the beautiful texture of a velvet platform chopine from the 17th century, or a rhinestone embellished t-strap from the 1930s encourages you to imagine the life and times of the women who wore them," says curator Lisa Small. And even if you consider yourself shoe obsessed à la Carrie Bradshaw, Small says there are surprising facts to be learned along the way: "Many Greek statues depict the goddess Aphrodite wearing towering platform sandals—they have been trending for over two thousand years!"

Want more? Click through the gallery to catch a glimpse of what to expect at the exhibit.