If these shoes are predictors of the fashion trend for the Spring, please sign me up for orthopedic surgery and crutches. The fashion week runways were decorated by models, not prancing the catwalk, but falling flat on their butts or bracing themselves for a tightrope-like walk down the aisle. What baffles me is that designers are creating many of these shoes because of demand for higher heels and more outrageous and funky designs by women. For many years now, Christian Louboutin has taken the definition of a stiletto to new heights with 5- and 6-inch heels. Those red soled babies like the Pigalle and the Mad Mary are just a few of the sexy shoes making women come to the Louboutin for more more more.
This fall Christian Louboutin introduced his 7-inch platform heels. These shoes are flying off the shelf faster than you can say, “charge it.” I don’t know the wearers of these high heels but I think I might be needing back surgery by the time I am 30 if I wore 7-inch heels for a night out of dancing. Louboutin says he will be introducing 8-inch heels next year. Louboutin isn’t the only designer hearing the cry to go higher. Manolo Blahnik too his shoe designs an inch higher this year with the introduction of a 6-inch heel.
“These are still sexy, pretty shoes,” he says. The designer — who doesn’t do platforms — says that 6-inch heels already account for about 30% of his company’s business. [Wall Street Journal]
At this rate, I think an arms race has began among designers to see who can go higher while still creating a shoe aesthetically pleasing to their fans. Enter Prada, Dolce & Gabbana, Marni, Yves Saint Laurent, Aminaka Wilmont, Basso & Brooke, BCBG, and Christian Dior, just to name a few, whose shoes designs are short of being hazards. Fashionistas might need to wear life alert bracelets in some of spring’s trendiest shoes. Aminaka Wilmont’s black wood and ribbon gladiator style heels (first picture) are a little jaw dropping. Will any self respecting woman be ever expected to wear these out in public? I see a few faux pas with on being the simple fact that there is no coverage for the toes. Who will want to walk the filthy streets in those shoes? Two models toppled over at Prada’s 2009 spring show in Milan last month. Why? Because of the high heel shoes the designer designed for the runway required slipper socks. Has fashion become that avant garde? You be the judge.
