Paris Fashion Week: My Favourite Shoes of the Runway

It's sometimes easy to forget that fashion shows are not only about music, themes, atmosphere and garments (as thrilling as those combined elements can be). They're also about the shoes - the final destination of our scrutinizing gaze as each look goes by. The works of art that adorn the feet of these models often grasp my attention much more than any other element of a show and this was particularly true of Paris Fashion Week. As each show went by I started compiling detail shots of the shoes I coveted and I am now sharing them with you. There was a lot of attention to detail with the stitching and adornments on these shoes, and I love the metallics! I must say though that the Hussein Chalayan brogues are my absolute favourite because flats win over heels every time for me. We also need to discuss the creation of a word that means cool x 1000 so those brogues can be accurately represented. However, they are all superb creations. Enjoy!

Alexander McQueen

Arzu Kaprol

Balmain

Balenciaga

Barbara Bui

Chanel

Chloé

Elie Saab

Giambattista Valli

Hussein Chalayan

Lanvin

Louis Vuitton

Nina Ricci

Paco Rabanne

Pedro Lourenço

Roland Mouret

Sharon Wauchob

Yohji Yamamoto

Yves Saint Laurent

Images: nowfashion.com

Yours,

A.

Lupe Fiasco, Yasiin Bey And The House Of Vans

One of my favourite hip hop artistes Lupe Fiasco, who I don't so much classify as a "rapper" but more so a great poet, has been a supporter of Vans for some time now and in the video below he talks with Highsnobiety about how how naturally the collaboration for the Spring 2012 OTW line came about. He also talks about his book club, favourite authors, daily musical inspiration, and what rives him to continue making great music.

"I don't like to just sit down and listen to somebody tell me how much dope they sold or how many times they shot somebody... I like to feed myself nutritious kind of things and for me through the ears the most nutritious things that you can listen to are either songs with no words like jazz, or words that actually have power and meaning behind them which would be reggae and punk."

Lupe Fiasco Interview from Highsnobiety on Vimeo.

I really enjoy seeing Lupe do interviews, he always expresses himself well and doesn't come across as full of shit or insipid as some other artistes I've heard. He's just extraordinary overall.

Check out pics of Lupe and Yasiin Bey (formerly Mos Def) at the Vans OTW launch in Berlin last month. (Two of my favs together! *moment of silence to appreciate this*)

Yours,

A.

Spotted: Mirror Mirror

Came across this magnificent diamanté wall mirror while visiting Tendir (one of my go-to places when I want to see what's happening with design) and was immediately enamoured with it. It's 3-Dimensional design makes me feel like I could pull a Narcissus and fall into it if I gaze at my fair form too long. 


This is the most glamorous and modern mirror I've come across in a while and in the right space it will be magnificent. Forget a ring, gift this to a girl and she'll be less likely to throw it at your head surely love you forever.

Diamanté wall mirror by Regia

Yours,
A.

Street Photography

You can't browse the web in the 21st century without coming across hundreds of street photographers's websites and their body of work, sometimes flippantly but oft with intrigue. Street Photography has become much more than a hobby for many and now serves as a platform not only for showcasing designer clothes but for capturing individual swag.


Today I came across this video and story over at Another Magazine and found it edifying. I'm not a photographer, I'm just a writer with a camera on loan but these real street photographers make me want to revisit that.


Get inspired and read the story here: Everybody Street, Cheryl Dunn


Yours,
A.