no. 9

Shoes: My second love letter

You’ve all heard about my love for jewellery, and it for sure must take first place. But the close second – shoes.

I love them. Any pair of shoes. No one can show me a pair of shoes that I actively dislike. If you ask anyone what I would want as a present, half the time the safe bet is to go for a pair of shoes.

The obsession started with trainers. I think I was always window shopping for them in school. When I was bored in class, I would go on the Nike website and customise random trainers to pass the time. How odd now that I look back, but this was definitely the beginning of my fixation. Since then, I am proud to say I have expanded my taste to ballerinas, heels, boots, loafers, mules, and pretty much any other shoe you can think of.

Shoes have such an underrated impact on an outfit. Whether changing from trainers to heels, or a simple pair of loafers to a cute ballet pump, it can create a different vibe. One of my favourite things to do is wear shoes that don’t “work” with the clothes that you’re wearing. Wear something that’s very streetwear, and wear loafers instead of chunky trainers. Wearing garments that are part of one colour palette and wearing a pair of shoes that clash. A little experiment. A little uniqueness.

Speaking of uniqueness, one of my holy grails at the moment (and has been for a while) is a pair of tabis. Not necessarily Margielas, but just any tabis. Tabis are also known as the ‘split-toe shoe’ or ‘hooves’. These are Japanese worker shoes that trace back to the fifteenth century and are thought to promote balance through the separation of the big toe, connect to your sense of self, and encourage a clear mind. Martin Margiela brought this reference to the runway in 1988, at his debut show. This object of fascination was introduced to the fashion crowd, and after continuing with the style of shoes, people went crazy for them. The oddness and complexity of these shoes evoke emotions out of anyone who sees them. For countless people, it’s something weird. The amount of confused expressions I’ve seen when showing people this is what is next on my shoe wish list is endless. And then there’s the complete opposite. The look of joy and hope that someone else likes the same thing they do. I don’t care what anyone says, I love the tabis. I can’t wait to get a pair.

Another odd shoe that is vividly etched into my mind is the Alexander McQueen armadillo platforms. I can’t say that I could ever pull these off (at least not now anyway), but the impact that these had on me and the runway is indescribable. Launched as a part of his final collection in 2009, these are 9-inch heels/boots which are convex, hence the name. With a, of course, varied response from grotesque to beautiful, they are considered a work of art. Without a doubt, they’re not the most practical shoes to have in someone’s collection and for some reason, have a weird negative energy surrounding them. But they were designed to be showpieces. Yes, they are abnormal, and yes, they are probably uncomfortable. Their impracticality and striking visuals have reinforced the idea that fashion is art in itself, something which can be argued with an extensive amount of McQueen’s work.

From both these shoes to so many others, shoes are an opportunity to go crazy. Other gems that I am intrigued by are the Isabel Marant wedge sneakers, Dsquared2 spine heels, Jacquemus double heels, Loewe and their many options (balloons, tomatoes and broken eggs are the honourable few to mention). Feel free to have a little browse.

One of my first experiences with shoes and collecting them was with my mum. She has an amazing and extensive collection of shoes, especially heels. Whether it’s black pony hair stilettos to platform peep-toe heels, she has got it all. I remember when I was younger, I would look at her wardrobe and think, “Why would anyone need this many pairs of shoes?”. But I now understand her.

Like so many other people who are interested in fashion, the next exposure I got was Carrie Bradshaw in Sex and the City. Her fashion in itself was and still is such a statement. The mismatched shoe look, the capris, and pretty much anything she wore, I was in awe of. Even now, when I scroll on Vestiare Collective, looking at what I would buy if I had the money, the weirder the better, and a lot of it is something I would imagine someone like her would wear. This pair of cream and green Manolo Blahnik slingbacks with suede ties and red polka dots. This other pair of Manolo mules with multicoloured pony hair stripes. Or one of the ones I have been thinking about more every day – Emilio Pucci fabric pointed wedges, with suede ties and their signature funky print. Imagine it with a simple all-black look, and then the pair of shoes you would never put with it. Anything that’s a statement, I want it. Maybe it comes from a desire to be like Miss Bradshaw, or maybe it’s just the insane pairs of shoes I have seen.

Whatever it is, I’m a fan.

I think everyone should explore a little bit with their shoes. Why not? It’s so much fun. It adds a little bit of spice. A little bit of life.

By Natasha Joshi