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.

Sunday shoe porn: embellishment

Sunday. A day of rest. And of shoe ogling. So sit back, relax, have a cup of tea (or a gin) and let your eyes enjoy this shit. It's all designer and unlikely to be in my life any time soon...

Alexander McQueen. Sigh. And for £700 and something for actual McQueen, not just McQ, it's really not bad. Here's the thing though - I like the shoe shape: classic peep toe with a chunky heel. Very practical. And I L-O-V-E the skull! But, I'm not wild on the colour and a really quite hate the little flower things. Here's the skull...

It is good.

And, on the topic of heads on toes - so macabre. Or religious in a kiss-my-feet sort of way - here's a leopard's head on the toe of a pair of Charlotte Olympias. The rules of my religion dictate that I must love a leopard/Charlotte combo. And if I was gifted these, I'd definitely wear them. Grr.

Do you know what I'd wear even more though? These Christian Louboutin stilettos. Red upper, soles and spikes? It's like blood and lipstick and fiery passion! I love a spike but I am a little tired of seeing them on everything. So this twist of having the spikes the same colour as the background gives me a reason to feel it again. And feel it, I do!

Speaking of which...
Killer. Just killer. That is all. 

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...