Manolo Blahnik Sale

It’s getting to be that time of the year when summer stock needs to start clearing out to make way for fall trends. (Already, you ask?) It is nearly August, believe it or not, and soon those dark, stormy fall items will be throwing that blanket of darkness that I hate so much over New York retail stores. I don’t understand why winter has to equal frumpy, dark, layered and boring so much of the time. I’ll be sporting the winter white this year, AGAIN, in the form of coats, hoods, cloaks, boots and whatever else, even if I look like the White Witch of Narnia.

I used to spend quite a bit of time in the Manolo store across from my old workplace, just browsing. I always thought I disliked Manolos (both on principle and based on most of the design, because, like Choos, they are too girly, narrow, fussy, fancy and bejeweled, and not daring and crazy enough for me) until I started working across from a Manolo store. My scorn and skepticism was cured within two visits! (The first visit was just an off day for their shoes).

Going in and actually trying on pairs, it’s lovely to witness such artistry from such a master, even if the style doesn’t match mine perfectly.

Today, I saw a discreet little white sign beneath three white shoes.

“SALE,” it said.

I didn’t go in, because I knew it would be too much temptation to find out how much this adorable little t-strap sandal is, but if you want your sale Manolos, I suggest you trot on over in a hurry, because the European tourists have sniffed out the August sales and are descending in hordes!

Call for prices:
(212) 582-1583

Address:
31 West 54th Street
New York, NY 10019

Would You Wear Furry Shoes?

Ahhh yes, we all remember the scene in Sex and the City (the finely tuned TV show, NOT the less-than-stellar film) where Carrie tries to improve her sex life with that guy from Office Space by wearing furry shoes. Or more specifically, boudoir slippers with pom-poms that resemble recent escapees from Victoria’s Secret but which probably cost about a bajillion dollars.

That scene nauseated me a little bit.

Carrie expressed some conflicted emotions about wearing furry shoes. So the question is: Would you, the fashion-forward, strong-willed woman that you are, actually wear furry shoes? There are certainly a wide variety of them available.

Let’s discuss. In pictures, of course.

Furry house slippers are no new thing. Almost everyone has a pair. But what if they crossbred with a heel? I found these pricey Bettye Mullers at Gabay’s (an amazing New York secret shoe heaven) a few weeks ago. They are furry inside, similar to the things I curl up on my couch in to survive winter storms, but they are heeled! And bejeweled! On the Pro side, there is something very French Royal Court about these. For me they evoke Marie Antoinette much more strongly than the Louboutin ones that we recently discussed. For one thing, the heel height is in keeping with the era, also the decoration around the toe box is typical of court shoes. Besides, fur-lined shoes seem like the perfect thing to weather a winter in a stone castle with no central heating.

If the French Court isn’t your thing, how about putting a furry English Rose garden on your feet? The fur flowers on the outside of these are kind of strange, but they certainly bring a new light to our be-furred shoe conversation. These are the same brand as the previous set. What do you think? Do they have interesting texture or do they look like they’re molting?

Oddly enough, from my view the two pairs we already covered are the more practical of our selections today. I found these at Loehmann’s. For a cool $299 (marked down from $955), you can get the boudoir-esque, pom-pom bedecked variety that so aided Carrie in her nighttime pursuits. These are grey, while hers were pink but the whole sexy evening mule thing is the same. Do you think these are sexy?

For some real history and more research, I went to see the appropriately title “Seduction” exhibition at the Fashion Institute of Technology. I browsed through the seductively draped Halston gown, the John Galliano leather dress, and some and a ’58 Balenciaga, I came across the perfect addition to this post: these white silk Manolo Blahnik mules with burgundy ostrich feathers from 1998. There’s some real history for ya. Maybe not a long history, but history nonetheless.

I guess we can pretty safely say that furry shoes are a symbol of sensuality, or at least sexualty to many people. But sometimes accepted symbols start to lose thir meaning so I am very interested in what you guys think. In an interesting twist, I found that the quintessential movie moment to define the furry shoe question came not from Sex and the City, but from a much less likely place: My Big Fat Greek Wedding. In explanation:

“Give me a [shoe], any [shoe], and I tell you how that [shoe] is come from Greek!

(Members of the Greek infantry standing guard at the Monument of the Unknown Soldier in Athens.)

“There you go!”

Messrs. L and B: Shoe Icons at Fashion Week

Though this fashion week’s shoes have been quite a bit less fanciful than those of yesteryear (or even just last season), some shoe icons are still participating in the scaled-down version of Fashion Week footwear.

Christian Louboutin remains the patron saint of high footwear. The man’s work is EVERYWHERE. At the fun and fanciful Barbie fashion show, the Divine Mr. L created human-size replicas of the iconic hot pink plastic stiletto heel that nearly every little girl slipped onto Barbie’s painfully pointed foot.

Here is a photo of the red-soled Barbie shoe with the dress that Carmen Mark Valvo designed for the collection. Update: These exclusive Louboutin for Barbie shoes are available now at LuisAviaAroma for $956.

These shoes were worn with some classic Barbie looks designed by various well-know folk. For example, DVF designed what looked like a day-to-night Barbie wrap dress and Bib Mackie did a very Cher-esque showgirl outfit set off by feathered eye makeup:

The Barbie show was fun and whimsical and the invitation specifically requested invitees to bring their daughter, niece, cousin, 4-year-old BFF, etc so the tent was full of glee.

Manolo Blahnik’s contribution to fashion week was much edgier. He collaborated with Band of Outsiders to create custom open-toed lace-up boots for their fall presentation. (Sounds like it wouldn’t work but it totally did). They could have starred in their own mini movie about a down-on-her luck fashion editor that has to take up boxing to support herself and the rhesus monkey that she adopted in hopes of making it her best friend or, in hard times, a coat. Instead, she takes up boxing (coached by the indomitable Clint Eastwood, of course) but can’t bring herself to put on the ugly boxing boots that come with the job so Band of Outsiders and Manolo come to her rescue. At he end of the saga, the viewer is left with many difficult questions like: Does the monkey get his own pair of mini boxing stilettos? Does the fashionista give up her new found career when Clint catches the Ebola virus from a very naughty monkey bite? How far is she willing to go to reach her dream of becoming the well-heeled boxing champion of the world? Would she, perish the thought, trade in Clint for Sylvester Stallone?

But I digress.

Anyway here are the shoes in question (photos courtesy of fashionista.com thanks to the poorly timed death of my camera battery):

And are you noting the cool contrasting toe tights? I love it. Manolo did an awesome job. And did I mention how clever Band of Outsiders’ presentation was? Rather than having models stand on pedestals that created and indoor-outdoor setting with old-fashioned lampposts for the models to lean against, park benches for them to sit on, telephone booths for them to feign calls in, and rope ladders for them to climb….toward the ceiling (perhaps it’s an allegory for reaching great fashion height? going to great lengths? reaching for the stars?)

Is cute, no? And who recognizes this model? I know that any of you watch some of the same embarassing television that I watch so I am betting the answer come right quick.

So to sum up: the Divine Mr. L and the Divine Mr. B contributed mightily to Fashion Week. Hurray for shoes!

Manolo Blahnik for Coca Cola Light

Fans of the Manolo Blahnik and Coca Cola collaboration of 2005 are in for a real thirst quencher.  For the 2009 fashion week, Manolo Blahnik has collaborated with Coca Cola once again.  The result is a new sole for the iconic coke bottle, which is decorated with Manolo’s shoe illustrations.   The design is available in a limited edition bottle and only 10,000 pieces are being made.  If you can read German, it looks like there is even a contest being held to commemorate the occasion.

Manolo Blahnik’s Armored ‘Patoso’ Booties

I do not recall us featuring this bootie yet on our blog. Which is a pity, really. As some other blogs have noted, Mr. Blahnik’s ’Patoso’ from the Fall 2009 collection, is worth us taking at least a peek or two.

From the Manolo Blahnik website:

I’ve gone absolutely mad for warriors this season … (Fall ’08) . I’ve put Samurai masks on boots. (FANO) and metal discs that have come straight out of a crusaders suit of armour (PATOSCO). I’ve used shapes that are articulated, and incorporate shields (Satine designed for Christopher Kane, DELIS) for a modern, powerful woman … a kind of medieval Amazon, if that makes any sense.

The Patoso is also briefly referenced in a September 2008 interview with Manolo Blahnik by Carola Long at The Independent:

Blahnik shows me two of his own latest creations: a pair of fine-heeled grey boots covered in metal discs has been inspired by the Crusades, and are reminiscent of chain mail, while a pair of ankle boots with a leather grille around the ankle is “a cross between a ribcage and one of those horrible plants you have in hotel entrances in Hawaii, really common plants. No not an aspidistra, urgh! Every Victorian house had an aspidistra, urgh!” Aspidistras are just one of the things Blahnik expresses a comedic dislike for, along with platform shoes and noise. Every time a phone rings or a siren wails, he announces that he is being persecuted.

Am I the only one who reads or watches Manolo Blahnik interviews and then is automatically reminded of an energetic little teddy bear? Oh my, did I just refer to one of shoe-couture’s own members of ‘designer-royalty’ as a teddy bear? Why, it seems I did.

As of yesterday, the Nieman Marcus website had at least one of these amazing shoes left in stock – a situation that has now, sadly, changed (Which is a shame, really, as the price had dropped from  $1395 to $628). So, if you are interested in this style, a stock check of local Nieman Marcus stores, as well as Manolo Blahnik boutiques, will now be in order.

Anyway, from sketch to reality, this is one original shoe.  The balance achieved between the metallic elements and softer bow at the ankle is a pretty amazing dichotomy.  Overall, this is a fantastic visual feast. It is, unfortunately and unequivocally, not my style.  It does, however, own a special place in that wholely imaginary room of my house where all of the most decadent, if not always practical, shoes are kept on immaculate display in their own little glass displays; existing purely for simple visual pleasure. Sigh.