There has long been an indivisible connection between fashion and art; both follow trends, pass comment on the state of society and speak ostensibly of riches and the high life.
Today, the line between these convergent worlds is more blurred than ever. Modern art edges towards belonging on the runway, while ambitious catwalk creations could equally jostle for position in the world’s finest galleries.
Shoe design undergoes experiencing revolution after revolution – none more so than at Alexander McQueen. Given the tragedy surrounding the unexpected death of Lee McQueen in February 2010, the eponymous designer’s final collection of outrageously ostentatious 10-inch platform creations, pushing the boundaries of footwear to the extreme, have almost paled into insignificance.
These wonders took fashion by storm; almost alien in appearance, they were bedecked in everything from rich jewels and animal hides and should have belonged to the mythical creatures and mermaids of the imagination. But that was the beauty of McQueen: unfalteringly ambitious and unfazed by the boundaries of normal logic.
Needless to say, McQueen’s successor and right-hand woman, Sarah Burton, had more than a lot to live up to with her Spring/Summer 2011 collection. Her latest footwear creations undoubtedly put her own spin on McQueen’s ambitious legacy.
Elegant spring foliage defies the need for heels; leaves gently intertwine as though they’ve just been plucked from a spring tree, seamlessly linking together and flowing as they wish. Handcrafted, life-size butterflies perch effortlessly on beautifully thin straps, recalling that precious moment when a delicate creature comes to rest for a moment, before flying onwards and upwards in the next. Other designs are covered by dense feathers, with contrasting colours that blend with a natural ease and demonstrate an unprecedented level of expert craftsmanship – each pair a work of art in their own right.
At £2,300 a pop, these wondrous creations have sculpture-like prices to match their status as paragons of design; that these are an once-in-a-lifetime investment is a given. What remains is a decision: to turn your toes into a work of art – for these are perfectly wearable – or to lovingly admire them from afar. Either way, there’s no way in hell these beauties will stay hidden in a dusty shoe-box for long.
