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subscribe to style file blog via RSSHeel-Less Shoes: A Brief History
August 16, 2010 4:16 pm
Though she takes an occasional tumble, Lady Gaga loves difficult footwear, like the heel-less boots she’s been wearing frequently of late. She pulled them on again for the September issue of Vanity Fair, where Nick Knight snapped her leaping midair in a pair of heel-less platforms by the young Japanese designer Noritaka Tatehana. But the Lady is only the most recent fan of the gravity-defying style, and Tatehana only the latest to take up the heel-free challenge. Below, recent snapshots from the annals of heel-less cobblers—and their famous fans, too.
Marc Jacobs’ “backwards” heels, Spring 2008.
Victoria Beckham wears Antonio Berardi’s thigh-high PVC heel-less boots to the launch of her fragrance in NYC, September 2008; the boots hit the runway in Berardi’s Fall 2008 show.
Olivier Theyskens’ heel-less shoes and their sickle-shaped soles were a major part of his final show for Nina Ricci in Fall 2009; they are even reputed to be comfortable.
Daphne Guinness wears Natacha Marro’s heel-less Mary Janes to the Dorchester Fashion Prize semi-finalists announcement in July; interested parties can purchase a glittering red version in ultra-limited edition at www.20ltd.com for about $758.
Recent offerings from Noritaka Tatehana, whose boots Lady Gaga wears in September’s Vanity Fair.
tags: Antonio Berardi, Daphne Guinness, Lady Gaga, Marc Jacobs, Natacha Morro, Nick Knight, Nina Ricci, Noritaka Tatehana, Olivier Theyskens, Victoria Beckham
Aww, I was hoping the brief history would be a little less brief at least starting in the 1950’s or so with François Pinet’s heel-less shoes.
By olliecrafoord on 08/17/10 at 3:05 amOr even starting at 1937 with André Perugia…
By totha on 08/17/10 at 9:51 amWould love greater depth in the content, some real history, early influences, sketches, what have you.
By kgerson1 on 08/19/10 at 3:03 pm