Is it me or are shoe designs getting wackier? Just when the current trend in heel art couldn’t get any more absurd, along comes the surreal Marc Jacobs backwards heel.
If that wasn’t bad enough then there’s Japanese designer Y3’s Phasma 90 Stretch Wedge, at $750.00. I agree wholeheartedly with Tyler Alexander’s comments on the Shoe Goddess.net that “this is one of the ugliest, most impractical, overpriced shoes I've ever seen.” These shoes look like something from a Sci- Fi movie.
Don’t get me wrong, I am actually a big fan of heel art. I think it’s great that shoe designers have given us new outlets to express our personality, but that includes flowers and jewels on the heels, not the heel itself looking like it would be more at home in the Tate Gallery of Modern Art, (unless you intend placing it in a glass cabinet, instead of walking on it!)
My current favorite is Mui Mui’s Floral Carved Sandal at $550 from Saks, with its beautifully carved wooden heel. These are gorgeous worn with a smock dress, safari shorts or jeans. Their neutral color means they can be teamed with pretty much anything and are sure to be a big hit this spring.
In fairness to Marc Jacobs, I actually think the backward heel is a real conversation stopper, pushing the boundaries of shoe design. Presumably the heels are no harder to walk in than a normal shoe, though I am not sure I can imagine spending $1,100 on them. Says the shoe blog Cuffington.com, “These shoes actually remind me of some chairs that my aunt and uncle used to have by their pool. I was always afraid to sit in them because I always thought I'd immediately tip backward.”
