One word comes immediately to mind when I look at the Proenza Schouler shoe styles featured at this week’s runway show: Architectural.

The actual upper materials, ranging in type from patent to metallic fabrics to fur, are not insignificant to the overall appearance; but the truth is that these shoes are all about the Heel.

These shoes are stunning and appealing. Other words that might adequately describe them are Modern, Engineered, and Structured.  The feat accomplished here is maintaining a balance between the structured presentation of the heel’s metallic architecture while maintaining an open an light appearance.  The successful merging of these aesthetics to produce a shoe that is edgy without appearing heavy is quite an achievement.

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One word I didn’t use in describing these is ‘Futuristic’. The first thing that comes to mind when I hear this term are images from Ridley Scott’s Blade Runner along with this poster image of Fritz Lang’s Metropolis:

And while I agree that these shoes would look completely at home on many a science fiction heroine, films such as Blade Runner & Metropolis can also be said to have a ‘gritty’ feel. And gritty is definitely not a word that should be used in describing these marvelous Proenza Schouler creations.