November 13, 2011 |
FROM THE VAULT (SUMMER 2011)
This, and by this we mean Louis Vuitton’s pre-fall collection, is a “liberated wardrobe for a woman who goes out to conquer the world”. And what is a liberated woman without the right shoe? Not liberated. The suffragettes did not chain themselves to railings in protest for women to wear flats. Betty Friedan’s The Feminine Mystique wouldn’t have been such a hit without mystique. Mystique that comes from shoes. For how else could you describe the ability to run, jump and frolic in footwear that would, quite simply, knock a man off his feet? Woman are to stand tall and proud in high-heeled shoes. They should tower over men, like a giant Louise Bourgeois spider, rather than hide in their shadows like meek little mice. And for this they need shoes. They need the shoe. This shoe. A black, high-heeled brogue. They look just as good with a mid-calf skirt or a pair of tight leather trousers worn with a fitted jacket. And, no, wearing something tight with heels does not mean you are a prostitute. En Vogue cleared that up years ago. And anyway, prostitutes have let standards slip of late. They’re all about a bit of towelling and a muddy trainer. Hardly liberating or empowering. Heels are all about harnessing your power and lording it over anyone who comes near. Inspiring respect and maybe just a little fear in the hearts of others. These are shoes that send out a clear signal to the world at large. They are shoes made for walking and one day they may well walk all over you – so watch it.
by Natalie Dembinska
