Gold chain #9: For queen and country

It’s a four-day public holiday here in the UK, thanks to the diamond jubilee of HM Queen Elizabeth II. So naturally, it has been freezing cold and flogging rain since Friday. Whilst this is not a problem to us non-Brits who have been making the most of the celebrations ensconced in French restaurants with visiting American friends – vive la différence! – one’s heart does go out to the poor loyal subjects who lined the Thames yesterday to wave at the royal barge in weather conditions more reminiscent of October than June. Not to mention the 86-year-old granny herself, who must have been shivering in her ermine undies.

What is really called for at a time like this is something blinging but... cosy. Like these rather marvelous gold Doc Martins (below), which my friend Katya Z called into the Russian Vogue office a few weeks ago. Sturdy as well as shiny, they would be warm and waterproof aboard the Gloriana, not to mention a fashionable wink at that other pillar of great British heritage, punk.

Alternatively, for something with a bit more stature (the queen is only 5’4” after all), how about the gorgeous 5-inch (12.7-cm) ankle boots below? The gold leather has an appropriately antiqued finish, the “hidden” platform and smart white block heels could be helpful for kicking recalcitrant corgis. Wee nod to the Duke of Edinburgh: they are from 3.1 Phillip Lim.

This evening there’s a concert at Buckingham Palace, so a chance to ditch the sensible footwear in favour of something to dance in (or at least tap the royal toes in. Let’s not get carried away, the bash is organised by Gary Barlow.) You can’t go wrong with a pair of gold pumps. With a modest 4-inch (10.2-cm) heel, these Louboutins (below) are fit for a – well, you know who I mean.

Lost in Loubi-Land

Forget the Olympics. Forget the Queen’s Jubilee. For the shoe lover in London this summer, Christian Louboutin’s retrospective exhibition at the Design Museum is the only game in town.

One floor of the normally stark and minimalist museum has been transformed into Loubi-Land, complete with carousel (which, rather disappointingly, doesn’t actually move) and hologram of Dita Von Teese performing.

Click to view the making of the hologram via Italian Vogue

A photographic section relates the designer’s life story. The Atelier demonstrates Louboutin’s design process, “taking the visitor through every stage of the design journey, revealing how a shoe is constructed, from the initial drawing and first prototype through to production in the factory.” The exhibition includes drawings (visitors are not allowed to take photographs but “sketchbooks are encouraged”), memorabilia, toys, handbags, a film room, and shoes, shoes, shoes. 200 pairs, apparently. It’s slightly overwhelming. 

And here’s the one problem I had with this otherwise marvelous exhibition. It’s a matter of scale. Louboutins are a treat, like truffles or oysters or Ladurée macaroons. Louboutin boutiques are little boudoirs, opulently designed to show off a couple of dozen sexy shoes. Stepping into one is like visiting a particularly mouth-watering (and particularly expensive) chocolate shop or charcuterie, where you can nibble 98% cocoa bonbons or acorn-fed pata negra at fifty euros a mouthful. You indulge, you sigh happily, you leave. This exhibition is more like an all-you-can-eat buffet. Here a six-inch stiletto, next to it a spiked ankle strap, then a multi-coloured trainer covered in Swarovski crystals, then another, and another and another – at first it is bewitching, then bewildering, then you just want a bit of a lie-down. 

Which brings us to the Fetish room, where individual creations are spotlit under bell jars in dark alcoves. This is fantasy footwear (as opposed to your regular six-inch stiletto...) but to me this section works better than others because you get to concentrate on one piece at a time and can appreciate what marvelous little pieces of exotic art and engineering they really are.

Still, as true shoe lovers know, there’s no such thing as too many shoes, just not enough space. Or, in this case, time. If at first you can’t take it all in, go back for another look. The show runs till July 9th. You know where to find me...

www.designmuseum.org

Princesses, pop stars and fairy-tale footwear

Patience, dear shoe fans: keep scrolling and you will eventually get to the toe of this 8-inch (20cm) ballerina heel, created by Christian Louboutin for the Royal Ballet... 

This skyscraper flat was one of the exhibits in the Couture section of Shoes for Show: the Sculptural Art of High Heels, a great exhibition which took place in London for just four days at the start of November. (Take a look at last week’s post here for an intro to the exhibition and the Innovation section, featuring London’s exciting new generation of shoe designers.)
Christian Louboutin also figured under the heading of shoes commissioned for the Catwalk. The gold studded-and-spiked heels below were created for the Rodarte f/w 2008 collection and swiftly became a favourite with celebs like Janet Jackson and Victoria Beckham.

Image thanks to KuwaitStyle,com

When it comes to pop stars, of course, “Shoes for Show” pretty much says it all. This silver and gold glam-rock boot with perspex heel (below) was designed by Terry de Havilland for Ana Matronic of the Scissor Sisters...

...and Gareth Pugh designed these graphic/futuristic gold boots (below) worn by Beyoncé in her “(Girls) Run the World” video.

Image thanks to myshoebags

More gold, and another musical connection: Rupert Sanderson created these “Atlas” sandals, to be worn by Princess Amneris in the Royal Opera 2010 production of Verdi’s Aida.

French department store Printemps commissioned Nicholas Kirkwood to make these charm-laden stilettos (below) in 2010. They were part of a window display in the Boulevard Haussman shop during Paris Fashion Week, celebrating Tim Burton’s Alice In Wonderland.

Nicholas Kirkham also designed the amazing platform confections below, for Meadham Kirchoff’s s/s 2012 catwalk collection. While on display they look like something that should sit on top of a particularly princessy dressing-table, your Shoeblogger has already seen them in an upcoming fashion shoot and can confirm that – with a little judicious wardrobe-juggling – they are surprisingly wearable.

Where would shoe fashion be without Daphne Guinness? (Several inches closer to the ground for a start.) One of the most amazing pieces in the exhibition was this towering purple lurex heel-less shoe by Nina Ricci, lent by the Hon. Daphne.

Daphne Guinness, in Nina Ricci shoes, with Valentino Garavani.
Image thanks to fashette.wordpress.com

Shoes for Show: the Sculptural Art of High Heels was organised by e-commerce site Javari.co.uk. Curator Shonagh Marshall commissioned sculptor Jamie Bowler to design a set that would reflect the complex three-dimensional process of shoe design. Sadly there are no immediate plans to tour the exhibition, but it was such a big hit with visitors (and with bloggers) that we hope to see it on the road yet. Fingers crossed...

Fashion's Night Out kicks off

 A couple of years ago, US Vogue and the Council of Fashion Designers of America got together with the mayor's office in New York to devise an event to "celebrate fashion, restore consumer confidence, boost the industry's economy, and put the fun back in shopping." The result was Fashion's Night Out – a cynic would say it's just late-night retail with a marketing spin, but nonetheless the idea caught on, big time, and this year there are FNOs in 17 countries worldwide (Mexico has the best t-shirts). 

It takes place in different cities on different dates – finishing on November 5th with Japanese FNO and kicking off last night, September 6th, in Moscow.  

On Stoleshnikov Pereulok designer boutiques were serving champagne to the committed Moscow fashionistas braving the evening chill in short shorts and high heels (it went down to about 8ºC, aka 46ºF). I loved these gorgeous suede Prada peep-toe platform Mary Janes (above), and her friend's fabulous die cut Alaia lace-up stiletto bootees (below). 

There was more Alaia in the chic department store TSUM: these beautiful fawn-coloured wrap-strapped patent platforms.

Also in TSUM, I spotted these wonderful Alexander Wang bootees: grey felt uppers, leather lace ankle ties and among the highest heels of the night.

Back on the streets I met my friend Anna, who was rocking these amazing not-quite-bondage Benois Meleard sandals (below). They were a gift, she told me. "We were at a pub, when I broke the heel of my Camilla Skovgaards and my bf went to Mood Swings Apartment and got me those so we wouldn't have to go home and change my shoes!" Boyfriend of the year right there, wouldn't you say?

Among the delicate heels and bare legs the studded boots below caused their own sensation. The platforms are high enough to make the cobbled streets a challenge and the heels add another four inches or so. Their wearer was dressed down in jeans and sweater but from behind you couldn't miss that dangerous metal, flashing all the way down Stoleshnikov.  

More studs in the Dior boutique, though the shoes are a particularly brilliant pair of Louboutins. Their owner and her boyfriend, in Yves Saint Laurent leopard print ponyskin chelsea boots, made the best-looking couple I saw all evening (and I am not saying that just because they thought I was French...)

The highlight of the night, in every way, has to be these divine monsters (below). Part Alexander McQueen, part Antonio Berardi (guess which Shoe blogger was too overcome with excitement to actually enquire about the label) – completely awe-inspiring. The boy (yes, boy) wearing them was, sensibly, sitting on the kerbside with his girlfriends, so I cannot answer the inevitable question – can he walk in them? But in the style stakes at least he can definitely give Daphne Guinness and Lady Gaga a run for their money. 

To see Muscovites enjoying Fashion's Night Out from the knees up, take a look at vogue.ru's blog here.

Signs of Spring

Today we officially start Summer Time. For those of us living in Moscow, where the current temperature is -2°, this is more a matter of faith than anything else. But, happily, I was in New York last week and managed to get a hit of spring-like weather. Of course, this meant  midnight in the Meatpacking, where those New York dolls never let a Shoe Blogger down. Black satin Jimmy Choos with diamante straps and a blossom pink pedicure? Check!

As well as plenty of black heels, there were some great splashes of colour, like these blue suede Louboutin ankle boots (above) and the orange patent pumps below.

I really liked these classic black heels (above) with smart leather panel detailing – not at all showy, but tres chic.

It doesn't matter if your hells are spiky or chunky, as long as they're high and accessorised with an ankle strap. Ankle straps were everywhere, and in every style from satin sun-ray pattern and leather 'corset' sandals (above) to classic patent, both open and closed-toe (below).  

One of my favourite spots of the night: pointy-toed green alligator stilettos by Kate Spade, paired with skinny jeans – cool, classy, totally NYC.

A morning in the Shoe Galleries

Selfridges department store on Oxford Street is both a venerable London institution and a bona fide emporium of up-to-the-second style. Last month they opened the Shoe Galleries, ''a 35,000 square-foot shrine to shoes featuring 55,000 pairs of shoes and 4,000 on display''. Naturally, I was very excited and a ShoeClub excursion was planned. To ''do'' the Galleries properly I drafted some help: Shoe Assistant and model for the day, Lily (aged seven-and-a-half), and her mum, Heather. The girls drove up from Suburbia on Saturday morning and we prepared to be wowed.

First stop: Dolce & Gabbana, where Lily tried on these shell-pink patent pumps (above). Very nice, but the pink sequinned peep-toe stilettos (below) were our favourites. Who can resist an update of Dorothy in Oz's red shoes? And Lily's candy-striped socks really rocked this look.

We were somewhat underwhelmed by Jimmy Choo, and surprised at how those Chanel yeti-boots that look so tempting on Freja Beha in reality felt a bit... polyester. So on to the boudoiresque Christian Louboutin concession, which was full of customers and even fuller of cheerful and friendly staff. We liked the mirrored display cabinets, and loved the bejewelled trainers and gold-studded shoe boots. These red and black patent and net stilettos (below) were comparatively understated but, oh, so chic.

While Lily tried on a great pair of red and black snake print Jonathan Kelsey peep-toe heels (above), I fell in love big-time with the Viktor & Rolf ''Coconut'' platform boots (above and below). At £495 they were considerably cheaper than many of the shoes that were catching Lily's expert eye – including a wonderful pair of Alexander McQueen wedge boots, which, she pointed out, had a very smart little silver plaque on the sole. Still, a bit of a splurge for a Saturday morning, so we kept moving.

Next stop, the main Designer Room, where I spent quite a while ooh-ing and ah-ing over some fabulous Lanvin wedge heels (below). Alberto, the very sweet shop assistant, almost had me persuaded that I could justify the price tag (somewhere north of seven hundred quid) – but not today.

Back in the ''Exclusives Arena'', Lily hit on a mini-trend for gold studs. These black suede and gold studded shoe boots by Mulberry were, she assured us, very comfortable (if about three sizes too big) and the neutral-toned Stella McCartney classics-with-a-twist (bottom) were also a hit.

Exhausted by our morning, we adjourned to Soho for lunch and gelati. As Lily wrote up our notes (below), Heather and I reflected on the fact that once she is actually old enough to wear these styles, my goddaughter is going to cost me a fortune in Christmas and birthday presents. Well, she does have excellent taste in shoes.