Sunday Shoe Porn: Nicholas Kirkwood

You know what they say: a Sunday without shoe porn is a Sunday half lived. And all the better when the shoe porn belongs to meeeeeeeeee!

If you've been with me here for any length of time - or even for a very short time - you might have got that I'm a shoe kind of girl. Bags? I can take or leave them. Clothes? Love them but I'm not inclined to spend loads and loads on them. Cars? Couldn't give a crap. But shoes - I love them. I'm happy with cheapo Primark ones or mid range high street ones. But I also have a weakness for designer ones. And a nice lust list of designers whose shoes I should very much like to own a pair of. One such designer is Nicholas Kirkwood. His shoes just look structurally interesting, I love a disjointed platform and I appreciate the effort, intricacy and uniqueness of the upper detail of his shoes too.

Not being the sort of chick with cash to fling about, I have to be choosy and thrifty with my designer shoe purchases. Sale time on the likes of Net-a-Porter, My Wardrobe and Coggles is ripe for me (I'm just about pissing myself in anticipation of this year's sales, all the while trying to remember that I'm supposed to be saving for holidays next year.).  And, year round, The Outnet is a winner. So, when I got their email saying Nicholas Kirkwood had landed online, it didn't take me long to click through for a look.

And look what I found!

Aren't they gorgeous!? My little baby Kirkwoods! I was grabbed initially by how 'Kirkwood' they looked. I think, if you love a designer's aesthetic and may only ever get the chance to invest in one piece from them, you should consider it being something signature. If it's a practical piece too, that helps. But, above all, it needs to be something you love! I've made expensive mistakes snapping up shoes I didn't love *hangs head in shame* and regretted it. But I loooooooove these. And the platform, strappy upper, cute bow and edgy styling are SO on the Kirkwood money!

Look! They're so sparkly! So glittery! So twinkly!

Definitely worth another picture...

Shoe crush: Sophia Webster

I got an email a wee while ago from Net-a-Porter (I think it's important to dream) with this shoe on it:

Yayoi

 FUCK ME!

Safe to say my eye was well and truly caught. It looks a bit like something a kid might make as part of a school project (and I should know cause at my work we have a school design project every year) but in a really good way! They're the work of designer Sophia Webster, a former assistant of shoe design king Nicholas Kirkwood. I can definitely see the odd hint of a Kirkwood aesthetic in some of her styles - the across the foot detailing and the slightly disjointed platforms - but, that aside, these are some of the most exciting shoes I've seen in ages!

Lana

That first email was a bit of a 'coming soon' job. Today I got the news that the collection had landed! I actually checked out Yayoi, the beaded bad boy, and Lana, with her perspex encased sequins, in Harvey Nichols last week. Sometimes I go in there just to have a right good perv over the expensive shoes. I'll have a wee look and a touch and, if they're super soft, I might even smell them too. What?! Don't even try telling me that's not normal. Anyway, regardless of what you make of my habits, the shoes were complete visual treats in real life too.

Karlie

If I was given the opportunity to have a pair of her shoes (and I fear I may be waiting a while), I think I'd go for Yayoi - which was inspired by artist Yayoi Kusama's graphic dot paintings (see Louis Vuitton's recent collab too) - just for the childish joyousness of them. Otherwise, I reckon I'd go Karlie. The shape's dead practical (classic peep court) but the rest is anything but. I love the combo of the ice cream zig-zag upper with monochrome striped sole and colour block neon pop heel. They're just awesome. I love them. Can I have both?

Riko

Riko, for me, is defintiely the most Kirkwood of the lot. The cage effect upper with slim heel and tie details screams it but she's definitely added her own twist. I know we're not all likely to be rushing out to buy designer shoes but, if I'm gonna do it, ideally I want something that's really unique and exciting. And Sophoa Webster shoes sure as hell are that!

They're all on Net-a-Porter now.

Anyone for a cliche? Yes? Presenting Sunday shoe porn: glitterMiu

I know, I know, shoe type posts are a total blogger cliche. BUT. I. Love. Shoes, I'm a total shoe girl. And some cliches are cliches cause they're classic. So let us go forth and enjoy some pictures of friggin' expensive shoes. Yes, today I am mostly living in fantasy land...

This lot are all off Net-a-Porter, one of the sites I have to settle for ogling fruitlessly. What a waste of time, eh? Still, at least now I know what shoes I'll be buying if I suddenly come into money. This weeks footly confections have a glittery theme. The magpie strikes back...

Charlotte Olympia. I love the signature Charlotte Olympia shape. A classic pump with an almond shaped toe, slim heel and disjointed platform. Trim it with turquoise ribbon and cover it in a multicoloured glitter storm and you have a winner!

Miu Miu. These are so classic and pretty. Platform, peep toe, Mary Jane, black suede. Add a dash of glitter on the back only and they suddenly get that little bit more interesting.

Miu Miu: I am a Miu Miu fan. As the double appearance of the brand here might suggest. They do pretty-glittery so well  but they aren't afraid of an interesting ugly shoe either, which I kind of enjoy in a brand.  Plus, they're one of the few brands of designer shoes that I own. Check mine out here if you're interested. Anyway, back to these beauties. I've gotten back into a pointy stiletto of late and, while I'm not a kitten heel fan per se, I find a smaller heel more acceptable with a pointy toe and I would love to dance about all the town in these. I also have a thang for electric blue so these do the double for me.

Oh dear lord. The face I pulled when I saw these. It truly wasn't fit for public consumption. I thought about recreating  and snapping it for the purposes of this post but a mix of vanity and knowing I couldn't possibly accurately capture such a spontaneous reaction in a staged format meant that I didn't. Instead, I just have the shoe from two different angles.

Nicholas Kirkwood. Nicholas Kirkwood is one of the designers whose shoes I covet the ass off and would dearly like to own. I'd already spied these in gold and had a right randy swoon at them. And then I saw these. Being something of a muddly person, I am attracted to a mix of colour. And being a magpie, I enjoy the glitter. So multicoloured glitter works for me. Add in the jewel tone purple, the multitude of straps, the disjointed glitter platform and the dancing-shoe-esque t-bar and you have Llara pulling one special-ass face. Santa, if you're out there and you're listening, you know what to do...