Decade of Shoe Trends – 2007

 2007 shoe designs can be described with one word: platforms. 

Alexander McQueen offered covered platforms with pencil thin stiletto heels.  

Ralph Lauren offered the LBD of shoes.  The platforms make the heel about 2.5 inches.  This is a workhorse shoe.  I have this pair and wear them often. 

Prada showed us the new platform.  I am not wild about this platform shape, but give me a couple of years and I might grow to like it.  By then the shape will have moved onto something else.

John Galliano seems to be three steps ahead of everyone.  I am wondering if this is the shoe of 2014, with super chunky heels and platforms.  The model didn’t shave her legs.  She must be related to me.

If it wasn’t platformed, it was embellished.  Alexander McQueen’s purple feather with clear heels and Prada with multi colored flats.  Not wild about either.

Valentino Couture offered a pair of the prettiest shoes I have seen in a very long time.   

Love them.  Love the V in the stockings.

Happy Birthday Ann Demeulemeester!

Hearing Jennifer Lopez shred Christian Louboutin’s name in her song is tough.  When confronted with Ann Demeulemeester’s name I tried to see if I could find a phonetic description because I didn’t want to shred Ann D’s name.  I got onto Fashion Spot to see if they could help me.  Here is what I got.   

“Ann is said like Ahn.  Demeulemeester, it is hard to explain but I’ll give it a shot.  De is pronounced like hmmmm…..the best thing I can come up with is the ‘i’ after saying the ‘g’ in girl and before saying the r….it’s closer to the g then to the r….meu is said like ummmm…there really is nothing that sounds like it in English…it’s kinda like the ö in Scandinavian languages, perhaps you know that…le is said the same like de….mees is said like the a in space and er is again like de..  “   Sheesh.

So then I went to another site that had a German pronounce it and it sounded like DEH-moo-lah-MAY-ster.  That one I can follow. Anyways, today is Ann’s 50th birthday. 

In the mid 1980′s there was a group of talented Belgian designers who had a fairly minimalist yet complex style.  They were nicknamed the “Antwerp Six.”  She is a part of the Antwerp Six.  She has come into some criticism about being out of touch with consumers, yet Demeulemeester continues to create smart clothing independent of fashion trends. Her loyal customers, including rocker Patti Smith (who has influenced many of her designs), appreciate her simple, wearable and relaxed style which, despite its practicality, is cool.  Her sales are doing well so she can’t be THAT out of touch. 

Here are some Demeulemeester shoes for today.

Brown motorcycle boots Saks Fifth Avenue

Pony skin wedge boot Feathers Fashion , London.

Since Ann is Belgian, to celebrate Ann’s birthday I am going to wear boots and eat a Belgian Chocolate.

Wednesday’s Sale: Calvin Klein Collection Shoes

Starting at noon this Wednesday, Gilt Groupe will sell Calvin Klein Collection shoes. Get into the fray, ladies! Nothing like a good Gilt Groupe getdown.

Take That, Recession!: Elle at Kohl’s

Elle’s Meah Dress Heels are $24 at Kohl’s. Try to keep us down, recession!

Decade of Shoe Trends – 2006

We saw lots and lots of sandals & shoes with multiple straps and cutouts on the 2006 runways. 

Alexander McQueen was criticized for being too mainstream with this collection.  Notice the curved heel still being used, notice also the multiple straps that criss cross the model’s foot is used extensively today.  

Can anyone say gladiator? 

Platforms and more platforms were shown.  I am showing Prada’s because they were the most interesting.  Ralph Lauren had some wedges that were just too heinous to include. 

Prada also showed us lace up, peeptoe boots. 

Dior showed us the shape of many booties to come.  Add an half-inch hidden platform and you have half the ankle boots listed in Zappos and almost all of Alexa Chung’s shoe wardrobe.  

As an aside.  Mark Fast was critisized about using plus size models on his Spring Runway in 2010.  What many forgot was that John Galliano used all sorts of sizes, all sorts of ages, all sorts of everything in his Spring 2006 RTW Show. 

 Here is the first I have seen one of my favorite style.  Several designers have taken this silhouette and tweaked with it, but leave it to Galliano to start it.

I think what happens is when an innovative shape comes out, it takes a couple of years to get into the stores, then it takes me a couple more years to like it, then another year for it to go on sale.  I am just now getting away from slingback, embellished, peeptoe pumps. 

I guess my New Year’s Resolution should be that I will buy newer shoes more often.  That’s the ticket.