Synopses & Reviews
This fabulously illustrated book explores western cultureandrsquo;s fascination with extravagant and fashionable shoes. Over the past decade, shoe design has become increasingly central to fashion, with fashion companies paying ever more attention to shoes and other accessories. High-heeled shoes, in particular, have become the fashion accessory of the 21st century.
Co-written by one of the worldandrsquo;s leading historians of fashion and an authority on fashion accessories, the book features approximately 150 pairs of the most extreme and ultra-fashionable styles of the past 12 years, including work by such prominent designers as Manolo Blahnik, Pierre Hardy, Christian Louboutin and Bruno Frisoni for Roger Vivier, as well as shoes by influential design houses such as Azzedine Alaandiuml;a, Balenciaga, Alexander McQueen, and Prada. Avant-garde styles by up-and-coming designers such as Japanandrsquo;s Kei Kagami and Noritaka Tatehana are also highlighted.
Shoe Obsession examines recent extreme and fantastical shoe styles in relation to the history of high heels, the role of shoes as a reflection of their wearersandrsquo; personality traits, and the importance of shoes in art and exhibitions. The book is lavishly illustrated with full-color photographs of spectacular contemporary shoe designs.
Review
"From wedge to prism to stiletto, Valerie Steele and Colleen Hill of the Museum at the Fashion Institute of Technology meticulously chronicle the world of fancy footwear in their new book. . ."and#8212;T Magazine
Synopsis
An astute exploration of the most outrageous shoe designs of the 21st century
Synopsis
An astute exploration of the most outrageous shoe designs of the 21st century
This fabulously illustrated book explores western culture's fascination with extravagant and fashionable shoes. Over the past decade, shoe design has become increasingly central to fashion, with fashion companies paying ever more attention to shoes and other accessories. High-heeled shoes, in particular, have become the fashion accessory of the 21st century.
Co-written by one of the world's leading historians of fashion and an authority on fashion accessories, the book features approximately 150 pairs of the most extreme and ultra-fashionable styles of the past 12 years, including work by such prominent designers as Manolo Blahnik, Pierre Hardy, Christian Louboutin and Bruno Frisoni for Roger Vivier, as well as shoes by influential design houses such as Azzedine Ala a, Balenciaga, Alexander McQueen, and Prada. Avant-garde styles by up-and-coming designers such as Japan's Kei Kagami and Noritaka Tatehana are also highlighted.
Shoe Obsession examines recent extreme and fantastical shoe styles in relation to the history of high heels, the role of shoes as a reflection of their wearers' personality traits, and the importance of shoes in art and exhibitions. The book is lavishly illustrated with full-color photographs of spectacular contemporary shoe designs.
Synopsis
A fabulously illustrated examination of extreme contemporary shoe design, including its place in fashion history and its relationship to art and consumer culture.
Synopsis
Beautiful, sculptural objects, shoes are powerful indicators of gender, status, identity, taste, and even sexual preference. Our choice in shoes can be aspirational, even fantasticalandmdash;and can project an image not just of who we are, but of who we want to be. Feet are made for walking, but shoes may not be. Featuring extensive new photography, this is a beautiful and authoritative guide to the history and culture of footwear. Iconic creations by celebrated designers sit alongside masterpieces by unknown craftsmen. Embracing both menandrsquo;s and womenandrsquo;s footwear, from the Chinese lotus shoe to laser-printed contemporary shoes-as-sculpture, Shoes: Pleasure and Pain engages with the cultural significance of shoesandmdash;the source of their allure, how they are made, and the people who buy and wear them. Contributors from a wide range of disciplines consider subjects as diverse as ballet slippers and fetishism, shoes and ceramics, traditional shoemaking, and the obsessive shoe collector. The book also includes a comprehensive discussion of the history of shoe design, and case studies including Marie Antoinetteandrsquo;s shoe collection and the footwear of the Maharajas.
About the Author
Valerie Steele is director and chief curator of The Museum at the Fashion Institute of Technology, New York. Colleen Hill is associate curator of accessories, The Museum at the Fashion Institute of Technology, New York.