(I don't have the time, energy, or words to describe how I felt about the clothes at Balenciaga this season…this stuff is GOING PLACES, is all I have to say)
I'm always interested to see the shoes Pierre Hardy designs at Balenciaga because you can always count on having the Balenciaga 'it-shoe' each season: the one you'll see in seemingly every editorial, on every editor, and on the feet of Nicholas Ghesquiere's muses and friends.
Usually it's a shoe that not everyone can warm up to immediately: see Lego shoe of Fall 07, Gladiator sandals of Spring 08, the statuesque hidden platform leather and suede boots and booties of Fall 06, the stone-embellished space age sandals of Spring 06, the cork/machinery part platforms of Spring 07…you get the picture.
It-shoes of yore: leather and suede harnessed ankle boots from Fall 2006, the Lego shoe from Fall 2006
All of these shoes were made for people who love shoes. Pierre Hardy has shoe lovers world wide wrapped around his pinky finger. He understands shoe whore psychology and he knows how to exploit our our obsession-not that we don't love it.
I think even the most die-hard shoe fanatic might have a hard time warming up to the shoes at Balenciaga this season though. The sight of toes in lurex makes me cringe a little but I like that the platforms look like they were made from stray parts of the USS Enterprise. They sort of look like they might double as miniature vaccuum cleaners as well. I'm down with that because I'm all about "fashion meets function" or at least fashion that looks like it meets function.
Upon seeing the detail shots from the Spring 09 show, I have to wonder exactly how these shoes are going to translate to retail: I highly doubt that these space-age platforms will be on the floor at Barney's with droopy tubes of lurex attached to them. Honestly if you ditched the sock-tube-thing and slapped on any given combination of sandal straps, I think you'd have a very covetable shoe on your hands.
Thoughts?
dont they remind you of those awful socks youre made to wear as a child atthe swimming pool? i know its shoe sacrilege, but pierre really does seem to have created some high-class verucca socks..
maybe he was tired of the copies (LEGO SHOE!!) and decided to pull a marc jacobs in 2006??
“He understands shoe whore psychology”
Hahah.
We have already installed these shoes onto the heels of the Chanel cleaners, hmm? They actually do contain vaccum cleaners and it’s endlessly entertaining watching the cleaning ladies hoover with them.
I’m not down with them at all. They look like shoes you’d have to throw in the washer with dirty laundry.
The rubber part reminds me of awkward hiking shoes people make with rubber glued on every edge.
I don’t think they’d translate well without leggings of some sort.
honestly, these look disgusting to me. ewww!
This show was so interesting … technically futuristic but incredibly beautiful.
The shoes are like little space hovercrafts. I read somewhere that apparently the tights pulled over the shoes with an opening for the sole. Very strange. I don’t think that this particular version can translate into retail. A more wearable version would have to be created.
It’s latex, not lurex, isn’t it? ;o)
Anyway, I think they’re kind of funny, but chic is not the word I’d use…well, let’s wait, I’m sure they’ll make something wearable out of the idea!
Oh dear, even though I’m huge Balenciaga fan, these shoes don’t appeal to me at all (not for my personal collection anyway). Interesting? Yes. Wearable? Not for me.
I must say that your personal style is wonderful, and i’ve find i new favorite blog! I’ve been published three picturs of you on my blog, i hope thats okey?
Keep up the good work! (=
/ A swedish fan
i think theyll definitely tone it down for the retail version and as july said, it definitely looks like the tights were pulled over the shoes – you can see the thick sandal straps underneath the tights.
id rock em if i had the money!
He´s not the only one showing toes for spring, see Alexander McQueen and Prada, and I don´t like it, it looks so uncomfortable. But I like the sole and heel of the Balenciaga boot. Maybe if they made it in leather?
I love balenciaga but this time I don’t know think about these shoes, not jet, I need few days maybe……
do not like them at all. at all.
I love Hardy but I am not down w/ this one bit.
That platform does look a lot like a roomba…..
If one were to substitute at least part of the lurex (the blocks of black or the white) with a leather or latex or…..other, more sturdy material I think it would translate to “retail for the special people” just fine.
Or Hardy is just testing how twisted the “shoe whore” is onto his finger.
I was seriously wondering the same thing. Before I saw the close ups, I wasn’t even sure they were wearing shoes! I didn’t know how the tights were connected to the shoes. I really hope they can translate this into a shoe that is actually functional.
definitely in sync with your thoughts on a retail edition, but not so much with the catwalk look…
noah
Those Balenciaga shoes look like alien toes x>
Yikes! Whaddup with these things Balenciaga passes off as “shoes”? It looked like really bad shoes that they tried to cover up with rubber-like grey stocking-thingis. The clothes are great though… but the shoes… eeew!
I appreaciate the idea but thatz nothing for me:)
Jane! i think that Nicolas idea was just to wear lurex socks on platform sandals. I think you will find in Barney’s next spring wearable Balenciaga shoes and sandals, which contain details of this runway shoes. Don’t worry, I think Nicolas will create something for your taste!
I love the heel shape. Everything else – not so much.
so glad you posted about this! i’ve been wondering the same thing!
by the way, i made some lusty shoe photos @ lanvin & galliano last week…
check em out:
theglamourai.blogspot.com
hey, i mentioned you over at thesupermelon.com in my interview.
uhhh hope you don’t mind. haha!
This shoe is disgusting…love all the other examples though…
i love the runway versions but im interested to see how they are altered for stores
Definitely won’t grow on me, and I definitely won’t regret saying that.
Although I do believe once MK or A-Olsen are seend using them at least once, thousands of followers will condone the use of this utterly questionable shoe.
You can see what the shoes look like here: http://www.dazeddigital.com/TempStore/44466.jpg
Patricia, I knew it! with out the icky stockings, they look decent.
haha I’m glad to see that I wasn’t the only one perplexed by the shoes at Balenciaga this season (I did a post myself). I really do wonder how they will translate to retail.
“They sort of look like they might double as miniature vaccuum cleaners as well.”
LAWL.
Love your amazing shoe collection, babes! Plan on adding these to it?
Love your blog by the way. So much that I just linked you!
I have just recently discovered your wonderful blog, and want to simply tell you how much your writing touches and inspires me. I wish for you, your parents, and all of your family as much comfort as can be found in a terribly difficult time.
envy your shoes collections big time!!!
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There’s a lot of hope for the future with this new collection of Baleneciaga shoes and things. Simple and exotic all at the same time.