Brian Atwood Monroe Mesh-Elastic Patent Leather Pumps

Brian Atwood Monroe Mesh-Elastic Patent Leather Pumps

Brian Atwood is a genius – and not just because he was smart enough to snatch up Nate Berkus. Um. Anyway. No, I mean he’s a genius because he is such a huge risk taker – and it really pays off. I think we haven’t even seen the best of what he can do, although every shoe he puts out seems even better than the last. I am especially fond of the Monroe Mesh-Elastic Patent Leather Pumps ($570 at Saks) I just spotted.

I think these are great for a couple of reasons. They are available in black too but I’m showcasing them in nude, because I think the color shows off the contrasting details. Of course, what I am talking about here is the elastic mesh wrap, which is just … wow. The mesh wraps almost all the way around this pump, turning what is a pretty but average silhouette into something truly phenomenal. See, the pump itself is totally cute, but it’s rather average (more…)

Footwear News Achievement Awards Winners

Every year Footwear News presents their Achievement awards.  I was fairly interested in who was recognized because a lot has happened this year in the footwear industry.  Here are some of the recipients awarded on November 29th.

The Person of the Year was Christian Louboutin.  In his interviews he comes off as a genuinely great guy.

It is amazing to think that a small but loyal group knew his shoes before 2004.   When he opened a shop at 59 Horatio Street.  It exposed him to a younger hip group who couldn’t get enough of his shoes.    Now  red soles show up on every red carpet.   In 2010 he opened 11 shops and started his online boutique.  Growth in 2010.  Amazing.

Pigalili at ChristianLouboutin.com

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Brian Atwood Snake-Printed Leather Pumps

Brian Atwood Snake-Printed Leather Pumps

I only became familiar with Brian Atwood’s shoes fairly recently, and I am already an enormous fan. I decided to spotlight his Snake-Printed Leather Pumps ($700 at Saks) for one specific reason: color.

Let me explain that reason a little more. I love black shoes. Black clothing makes up most of my wardrobe and black shoes compose most of my collection. Black has a lot of great qualities – and then comes winter. So many designers go dark and neutral for their fall and winter collections, and although they get very inventive with styles, designs, and silhouettes, the palette is still just … blah. Come January and February, I am sick of black and grey. I don’t want beige or nude or neutral. I’m tired of cloudy skies and dirty snow. I want some color. It doesn’t necessarily have to be hot pink, lime green, or neon orange, but something would be nice. (more…)

Brian Atwood ‘Harrison’ pumps

Happy Monday, folks.

Summer hit here hard last week in my part of the country, if a day late temperature-wise. Which has me personally shopping my closet for alternatives to the boots that still litter my none-too-organized wardrobe’s floor.

And, of course, wishful thinking brings me to engage in online window-shopping as well. Which is a bit masochistic when I am on a budget-healthy, shoe-restriction.  But what’s a shoe lover to do?

Anyway, I go peeking over at Saks and what do I find? Boots, boots and more boots for Fall 2010, coming into stock now.

Argh!!!!

No, I will not show you any boots today – no matter that they are trickling back into retailers in anticipation of the fall retail season. I won’t do it. Not today.

Today, I am going to indulge in more of an  all-seasons, dinner-date to club-vibe of a shoe.

Brian Atwood ‘Harrison’ chain-trimmed pumps $1050 at Saks.com

These are subtle statement shoes. Yes, that is a bit of an intentional oxymoron. These are coy at first glance with a bit of an edge expressed in the heel.

These are …dare I say it? … a bit like a mullet …. business in the front, but party in the back.  Luckily, these are much prettier than any mullet I’ve ever seen.  I particularly like how the chain is integrated into the corset-styled lacing – just the thing to hint at your exotic side.

What to you, our readers think?

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What did Fall 2010 Fashion Month tell us?

With the three major fall 2010 fashion events, New York, Milan and Paris,  concluding, there were a few shoe trends that recurred in several collections.  This is what we saw.  Mad Men curves are in.  Fur is in. Many of the big name fashion houses went with classic investment pieces that were timeless looking.  Several of the lesser known houses had some beautiful and interesting  pieces.  Let’s look at some shoes – that’s why we are all here.

Pointy toe shoes are returning, so dust off your Guess “Carrie” shoes because we will be seeing more pointy toes in the future.

Prada

Valentino.  There was a flat and a kitten heel also presented in this collection.

Louis Vuitton

While stilettoes were seen, typically  if the heel was high - especially boots -then it was a chunky heel.  I love the stability chunky heels offer.  Can you imagine tottering around in the above Vuitton shoes if  the heel was pencil thin?

Alexander Wang

Fendi

Erdem – love the print on these boots.

Not many wedges were seen, so I am guessing we will be seeing those phased out over the next couple of years.

Kenzo

Bottega Veneta featured this wedge on all the shoes.

Dries Van Noten.  I LOVE this half wedge.

With the retro girly-fication of the styles  no tough girl platforms were necessary.

Marc Jacobs

Dolce Gabbana

Carolina Herrera

Lanvin (Arguably the best line of the season.)

But lots of platforms were presented.

Christian Louboutin for Phillip Lim

Michael Kors

Burberry Prorsum

Brian Atwood for Victoria Beckham.

There must have been 10 different colors of this shoe because Mrs. Beckham likes to match her shoes to her dress.  These shoes are nice but nothing to hyper-ventilate over.  Her dresses were nice, wearable, and pretty.

Over the knee boots will be around for a while.  We saw over the knee boots in several presentations.  Since this is the fall season, we should not be surprised.

Burberry Prorsum presented some of the season’s favorite boots.

Roberto Cavalli

Statement shoes were everywhere.

If you are a chiropractor, you NEED these shoes.

Dsquared

Nicholas Kirkwood for Rodarte

Louise Goldin

Chanel.  Notice the ice heel.

Chanel’s show, in my opinion was one of the goofiest ideas I think I have ever seen.  Uncle Karl shipped a glacier from Sweden to Paris, had it sculpted it for the runway, put it on a swimming pool type platform,  then the models walked through about an inch of melting glacier water.  He presented some beautiful suits, IF you could see past the heinous fake fur that accompanied these outfits.  Global warming, glaciers melting, save the furry animals was the message of this show.  Here’s the thing. 1) Lagerfield  used more fur in Fendi than virtually any other collection, so why use cheap looking fake fur with Chanel.  2) The carbon footprint of this show was massive and the power it took to present this show could have powered a small country.  (Here is where I usually go off on my global-warming-leadership-hypocrasy tirade, but I won’t because you came here to see shoes.)

OK,  I rarely look at purses, but I WANT THIS PURSE.

Forgive me for this long post, but there were so many beautiful shoes, and even more beautiful outfits.  I wanted to show them all to you but that isn’t possible.