Happy Birthday Robert Clergerie

Robert Clergerie turns 76 today.   Born in Paris in 1934, he started as a manager in the Charles Jourdan factory in the 1970s, then worked his way up to designer.  His first women’s line debuted in 1981 with a pair of menswear oxfords.  He later designed pumps with parallelogram heels that were copied enough that the shape was referred to as the Clergerie heel.  He then introduced a steel high heel which is thought to be the pioneer of the spike heel.   The factory is still in France and Mr. Clergerie is still in France.

Until working on this post, I had never really paid attention to Clergerie shoes.  Now, I am quite intrigued with them. (more…)

Robert Clergerie clearance styles

I’m not certain exactly how I feel about Robert Clergerie’s shoe designs. Clergerie shoes tend to be playful -  with unusual sole designs and non-typical silhouettes.

They are interesting styles, but I’m not sure I would find myself actually wearing them very often. Let’s say that I like them, but that for whatever reason, they don’t  ‘feel like me’.

But, if you, unlike me, are wont to wear chunky, funky or mod-styled shoes that stand out from the crowd , some of these sale-priced Clergerie shoes might be your perfect match.

Robert Clergerie ‘Mannor’ $395 $118.30 at 6pm.com and $217.77 at Endless.com

Robert Clergerie ‘Monday’ $450 $135.10 at 6pm.com

Robert Clergerie ‘Houle’ $625 $241.20 at 6pm.com and $343.72 at Endless.com

Robert Clergerie ‘Diof’ $565 $339 at 6pm.com & $310.72 at Endless.com

Robert Clergerie ‘Dahra’ $684 $411 at 6pm.com

Robert Clergerie ‘Frofro’ $694.95 $333 at Zappos.com and Endless.com

I do appreciate designers who buck trends.  I suspect that in the case of Clergerie, I just haven’t found my own ideal shoe-match yet – Although, that  ‘Dahra’ d’orsay wedge does comes awfully close.

Fabulous AND comfortable??? Umm….

I live in a walker’s city, so naturally the (female) company I keep is of the, um, walking persuasion. And of course, of the fabulous footwear persuasion, too–it goes without saying. A recent friend I made, who is a slender, petite actress, asked me for some advice regarding shoes. “I love to walk around town,” she says, “and I’m on my feet a lot, but I also need to keep a polished look and I really need the height.” To accomplish that, she often resorts to wedges, but she wondered if there is more to life footwear than that. I’ll start by telling you all I said before, which is, stick to lower heels or flats with good arch support, value health AND comfort over short-lived glamor, keep yourself informed about shoe brands with a reputation for comfort, heed the advice of experts (e.g., try on shoes in the evening when your feet are most likely to swell, shoes should fit right out of the box, with no “break-in” period, etc.). But, when you need the extra height, and you need to look glamorous for your job, AND you need to traipse around the city while looking glam and somewhat tall(er), then…you’re either in for a tough break, or you need to start making some compromises. Yes, do the wedge thing as much as you can, but if you want heels you can walk in, forget stilettos; wear those only in extraordinary circumstances (the job requires it, and you only need to do a limited amount of walking). However, you can still achieve the height and the look with some more sensibly-shaped heels, such as any 3″ or slightly higher from the Taryn Rose collection. The Canela, for example, is super-classy and kinda tall (3 1/2 inch high) and at $545 yes, kinda expensive, but see above re: compromises:

Why would I recommend such a high-heeled shoe? Well, here’s the thing: I own a 3″ pair of Taryn Rose pumps and they’ve been more comfortable than certain flats I own. I am not sure where this magic happens (nothing short of alchemy, if you ask me: turning painful high heels into golden comfort wear), but it’s probably a combination of materials (lightweight Poron), padding, built-in arch support, and angle of the heel relative to the sole. One of the issues with Taryn Rose shoes is they often tend to look orthopedic (at least they did in the beginning), and if not so, then a little stodgy and on the mature side. Or, let’s put it this way: they’re not exactly youthful. I can certainly understand that: given their prices and emphasis on comfort, you don’t want something that may go out of style by next year. Sometimes, however, the style reflects the current fashion, such as in this “Cheval” oxford sandal ($495 at Zappos):

Or these metallic peep-toes, Calexa ($475 at Zappos)–which are also timeless and elegant:

Apart from Taryn Rose, there are precious few brands that I can recommend for this particular problem. I LOVE Thierry Rabotin, definitely some of the most comfortable shoes I have ever owned, period, but they are often stodgy and seldom give you the height you may want. There is Donald Pliner, which I would qualify as only semi-comfortable at heights over 2.5″. There is Anyi Lu, but they cater to the more mature, over 40 crowd, and you can sort of see that in their designs. Oh, I know–there is Robert Clergerie, also very high end, and definitely not for everybody (definitely for me, though!); these beaded sandals are kind of sexy and are only 3″ high AND on sale at Zappos for $297 (down from $500):

One brand that I want to explore and about which I heard only good things is Chie Mihara. They don’t market themselves as a comfort brand, that’s true–but there is attention to comfort in the cushioned molded insoles and the overall architecture of the shoe (no stiletto heels, for example!). These strappy numbers, the Bankok model, are chic, edgy, thick-heeled, and….padded ($368 at PedShoes):

We invite you to share your experiences of fashionable and comfortable heels in our forums. We’re always eager to learn!

Clergerie Dominatrix Sandals

Last time I scored a pair of designer shoes on deep discount, I talked about how I have a tendency to give my shoes nicknames.

Well, I’ve done it again.  Because while poking around through a designer consignment shop this weekend, I stumbled upon these unworn wedges by Shoesense’s great guru, Robert Clergerie.

I’m afraid all the various leather loops don’t quite come through in the photos, but suffice it to say that there are enough of ‘em to have earned these shoes the nickname “The Dominatrix.”  I have a great weakness for shoes with ties around the ankle (I’ve got 4 pair that I can think of off the top of my head), and I’ve been loving the recent trend toward fetish-inspired dominatrix type shoes.  But I’m not about to go around in a 6 inch spike stiletto, so when I saw these, their siren song was too irresistible to disregard.

And so, for a mere $160, they came home with me.  I’m not sure how much they were originally, but his sandals can easily run over $500, and these whipped me into obedient purchasing so thoroughly that I’m content not to know exactly how much of a bargain they were.

See… they’ve already lived up to their new nickname.  Do I love The Dominatrix shoes?  Yes.  Yes what?!  Yes, ma’am!

Shoe Trends for Spring 2008

Prompted by a recent reader inquiry, I went over to Neiman Marcus’ Shoe Trend site, which I haven’t peeked at yet for this season. As per usual, I found plenty of tempting options. So, like any good blogger, I’m now here to spread the word.

Heel Detail

You may recognize a number of these from the runway shows, because they tend to go heavy on the dramatic flare. These Fendi cage heels walked the Great Wall of China and these Prada flowery sandals made an organic statement in Milan back in September. Now they can be yours for $690 and $790, respectively.

Metallics

Personally, I’m of the opinion that a metallic shoe is always a great way to spruce up an outfit. In any season. If you agree, you might want to snap up a pair right now, when there are so many options available. You can get your metallic fix in everything from a classic Kate Spade loafer to a pewter Donald J Pliner t-strap to a Valentino multi-tone platform.

Floral

What says spring more than floral-embellished shoes? Try a pair of cheerful Manolo Blahnik’s with the Marimekko patterns that we mentioned back here, or a pretty and understated Bettye Muller (whose designs we Shoebloggers always love), or–to be kinder on your tootsies–any color of these Costablanca suede thongs.

Woven

Here’s a trend we haven’t seen for a few years now, and I’m glad it’s back. Woven shoes have an earthy, organic sort of look that I always like for the warm weather months. What shoes are here to feel the natural inspiration? Well, there’s this Frye low wedge sandal (in a handful of pretty colors) and this Stella McCartney wedge (also note it covers you for the metallic and decorative heel trends, all in one fell swoop) and the Cole Haan Air Bria (in gold or silver and thereby also hitting the right metallic note), to name a few.

Gladiator Sandals

Nope, they’re not gone. They’ve been the ubiquitous trendy sandal for the past several years, but I’m not complaining. I always like a shoe that mixes elements. Refined and rough. Masculine and feminine. And the gladiator sandal does that, whether it’s a glamazon version by Stuart Weitzman, a buckled and studded strappy one by Claudia Ciuti, or a basic brown leather Dolce & Gabbana.

Safari

The final trend is the one you have to be most careful of. When you start getting anywhere near animal prints, you’ve got to be careful not too go too over the top. I’d recommend sticking with things that are a little more toned down like this Oscar de la Renta mini-wedge. Or get a safari-esque look by sidestepping animal prints in favor of wooden embellishments, like on this t-strap sandal by Shoesense’s guru, Robert Clergerie. Because, while I dearly love Taryn Rose shoes and all they stand for, their take on the safari style is WAY too much in my book.

So go, Shoeblog readers. Find your spring shoes armed with trend awareness. It’s a fine line between trendy for its own sake and trendy in a way that will last into future springs to come. But you can do it. You’re savvy people.