May 20, 2012 |
There were many stars at the Lanvin show. These are the sort of clothes that make us consider revoking our Chariots monthly pass, as the idea of not being clothed and shod in Lanvin at all times is just too miserable to bear. But if there was a really bright star – a sort of North star, if you will – the one that outshone all the other stars, it was the shoe. Well, shoes. So rather than do our usual favourite/highlight of/whatever thing, we’re dedicating this to all of them. We liken our love of these to our love of boybands. Yes, Robbie solo works but Robbie as fully paid up member of Take That works better. The shoes here come in three styles: the boot, the brogue and the sandal. Agreed, these are the shoe staples, but we’re hardly talking about reinventing the wheel, just something that we can wear on our feet with pride, and what makes these especially great is that they effortlessly combine our love for new shoes with our love for shoes that are slightly battered. Everything looks better a bit battered. These are the kind of shoes that wouldn’t look out of place on a tramp. That are, to quote from that much-referenced fashion film satire, “derelicte”. However, to be honest, I don’t think Mugatu would have come up with something as reflective of his vision as this. He was rather too literal. The boot, for example, zips up the front. The zip is edged with eyelets that have had the laces removed. It lends the boot an interesting, undone effect. All the shoes are slashed and then haphazardly stitched up with leather cord that is badly knotted and trailing. The rubber trek sole appears worn away. They look as if they belong to some New Age traveller who made his way from Berlin to Stonehenge on foot, all for the purpose of doing his downward dog somewhere a little more spiritual. The sole started to come away from the upper somewhere outside Calais, so he made do with what he had. Took the leather cord he was wearing around his neck and put them back together. He could have bought glue, but the shop was closed and he didn’t want to miss his ferry. And he liked the way they looked against his many silk layers. Sort of part hippie/part dandy/part derelict. Like we said: nothing like a new battered-up shoe.
by Natalie Dembinska
