The Gucci shoes on display in Milan this week gleamed in bold, oversized studs, exotic textures, and assertive buckles topping dizzyingly high heels, slightly tilted inward for added torture. It’s the kind of elegant attire that the modern amazon will wear in the urban jungle, possibly further accessorized with a leather and silk mahogany whip for good measure. These shoes and their wearer take nothing from no one: their slightly masculine monochromatic palette and sturdy leather and brass betray their fierce, take-no-prisoners nature.

In a word, I kinda like them.