LARA OLADUNNI
Bright colours and exotic motifs are the hallmarks of some of shoe designs released ahead of summer this year. A look at the designs reveal that designers are going all out for tropics-inspired designs.
Kew glasshouse’s worth of tropical foliage arranged by Charlotte Olympia Dellal in the ballroom of a London West End hotel had radiantly coloured shoes peeking out like exotic fruits. Then came her catwalk show of 1940s-style dancers and giant painted bananas in a Busby Berkeley-esque routine.
In Milan, Jimmy Choo puts up a beautiful display of origami leaves, flowers and hummingbirds fluttering in shades of green. Christian Loubouti display of orchid jungle that harboured studded leaves was on display in Paris through his Venenana shoes. In London, Manolo Blahnik had a green jungle in his showroom; part of his collection on the touchy pear.
This kind of example runs through the designs for this summer. Some of the designs are inspired by the tropics. Although their inspirations varied, yet the effect is the same. The summer shoe collections are an explosion of bright colours and craftsmanship as espoused in the use of appliquéd leather and fine embroidery including tribal beading and feathers on flat or block-heel.
From top: Jimmy Choo embroidered Lurex/suede and feather Annie sandals. Rupert Sanderson embroidered suede Kitrina sandals. Aquazurra raffia and nappa Flora sandals, | Image: Omer Knaz
Charlotte Dellal, founder of Charlotte Olympia, says their special pieces are inspired by beautiful art objects but on a small scale. Some of their new specials for summer include moulded or carved heels, handpainting and lacquer work, beading and intricate appliqué. For Jimmy Choo’s creative director Sandra Choi, it is the finer points of the tropical trend that make a shoe special.
This summer’s fashion trends include textured, homespun-looking fabrics and ample, peasant-inspired shapes in neutrals or white, or as upgraded street style that mixes athleisure and the 1980s in bright, saturated colour or monochrome. There is a great foil for these tropical shoes, which bring a decorative contrast to simple clothes or an interesting twist to the new brights.
Standout examples include finely cut-out, appliquéd silhouettes of tropical leaves, some hand-embroidered in bright crystal (Eva), clusters of handmade flowers and fruit (wood-soled) and complex appliqué work (Fruit Salad).
Manolo Blahnik comes from the subtropical Canary Islands but his humour is distinctly British. Alongside a high-minded collection that reflects Brâncusi’s art and commemorates Dame Zaha Hadid is a bright green sandal with cactus-like lobes and little leather spines and a matching high heel with vivid red flowers. The red flowers also reference one of his most iconic styles: 1971’s red cherries design for Ossie Clark. The same colours are used for an equally crafted style inspired by a paniered dress in a Moscow museum – deep red satin ribbon looped up over bright green lace, embroidered by hand – that links jungle to history in a typically lateral Blahnik thought.
Additional reporting from FT’s How To Spend It