This Week in Shoes

(AP photo @ Telegraph.co.uk)

- Christian LaCroix’ fashion house has begun Bankruptcy proceedings (c/o Telegraph.co.uk & thetimesonline.co.uk).

- In a contrasting bright spot of economic news, cobblers, whose numbers have been dwindling for lack of interest by the new working generation, are weathering the current financial downturn as customers turn to cobblers to stretch their shoe-dollars. (c/o jacksonville.com)

- The BATA shoe museum in Toronto, Canada, has opened a new exhibit: “On a Pedestal: From Renaissance Chopines to Baroque Heels“. The exhibit opened this November and will run through September 20, 2010.  and features about 70 pairs of shoes dating from the 16th and 17th centuries with many on loan from museums in Italy, Britain, Sweden, Austria and the United States (c/o The Canadian Press).

Britney Webb’s softball prowess, including a .403 batting average, six home runs, 40 RBI’s and 55 stolen bases earns her this year’s Adidas “Golden Shoe Award“. (c/o the NAIA website)

- Victoria Beckham’s devotion to fashionable footwear comes at a painful price; bunion surgery is recommended. (c/o dailymail.co.uk)

(Image @ gallery at link below)

- Kim Kardashian goes shopping with Mom in NYC. Kim asks, “What do you think of those turquoise boots?” (c/o kimkardashian.celebuzz.com)

- A quick reminder: Jimmy Choo’s Project Pep “You, Your Shoes, and 72” is down to the last 5 days for accepting contest entries if you are feeling creative.

Paris Couture Footwear from the Spring 2009 Shows

It is that time again, yes.  Paris fashion week for the couture labels.  Oo la la.

It wasn’t my favorite collection this time around.  A little on the snoozy side.  Couture is where you can really go for it, you know?  And these… well, mostly not so much with the going for it.

Armani Privé did some variations on this d’Orsay pump.

I’m not terribly impressed.  It’s nice and all, but a little *yawn* for a couture show.

Though, this combo of dress and shoes was a knock-out.

Chanel was also feeling the sparkly appliqué trend.

*thunk*

What?  Oh… sorry… dozed off there.  My head must have hit the desk.

Let’s see… I’m still nodding off over blah beige numbers from Christian Lacroix (left, which makes the models look like they’ve got coral sprouting from their ankles) and Elie Saab (right, which seriously interests me in absolutely zero ways… zero).

Can Givenchy wake me up?

Wow!  No!  In fact, those look disturbingly like hospital-wear or slippers or something.  Something that’s NOT going to make me more alert.

Valentino?  Nope.  Any shoe whose separated-at-birth twin is one of those hideous shell-covered mirrors doesn’t wake me up.  It just makes me want to sleep through the tackiness.

Jean Paul Gaultier perked me up a little bit.  Sure, the structured, mostly-monochromatic thing isn’t necessarily brand new for him, but he did some interesting amendments with more feminine flow and flashes of color, and you know I love me some shoes that come with their own built-in fishnet hosiery.

But, not surprisingly, it was John Galliano who gave me the jolt of caffeine I really needed.  His Dior shoe (it was just the one shoe, really, but in lots of different colors) is fabulously rococo, which only made it that much better to see him bringing in things like Delft tiles and Renaissance portraiture and even a cracked-out Little Bo Peep number.  Love!

I suppose I will just have to sigh and throw my hands up at this season’s couture shoes and hope for better luck next time.

Bright and Beautiful at Christian LaCroix Spring 2009

The Spring 2009 Christian LaCroix show was amazing, extravagant, playful, feminine, and most of all, beautiful.

Everything was adorned with bold and unashamedly feminine details from the clothing, to the jewelry, the handbags, and the shoes.

Oh yes, the shoes – delicate chain and ribbon creations that stand as jewelry all on their own. This was candy for your feet. Delightful, delicious and decadent sandals that will make you feel like a princess every time you wear them, whether paired with an evening gown or denim. The attached anklet ‘strap’ nicely manages to avoid being cliche. In addition to this bit of sparkle, I am particularly fond of how the graduated coloring of the ribbon straps bring a subtle and stylish ombre look to the whole shoe. These certainly fall under the category of Art to Wear.

[Photos Via Style.com]

Lacroix Look-alike

Christian Lacroix knows how to do feminine footwear. Often the sparklier, the better.

But I am drawn to these natural woven leather heels, which for Lacroix, are downright conservative.

Zappos is down to it’s last size: 38.5 (US which certainly isn’t going to fit my foot. Perhaps a Lacroix fan could pick it up at the clearance price of 46% off its original price of $719.

Like the style but not the price tag? Oh Deer has their ‘PB&J’ which is a cork-styled shoe apparently inspired by the LaCroix original. At $120 it is a bit more appealing to the budget-conscious.

Available in most sizes from both Shoebuy.com and Shoes.com, among others. Don’t forget to check out our Deals and Steals area to see if there are any current coupon codes available.

The Inevitable 4th of July Shoe

…Because we care deeply for how you show your true (patriotic) colors, here’s a shoe for you for this 4th of July:

Christian Lacroix wicker platform wedge with rope ankle wrap, now on sale for $210 at Zappos.  Ok, their French origin may make them a tad less patriotic, but I think the sale price compensates, n’est ce pas? Um, I mean, don’t you?

PS: Many thanks to our co-blogger Jitterbugbaby for suggesting the title of this post!