By Pamela Burke/March 16, 2013
It’s been awhile since we’ve been inspired to report on a new development in fancy footwear. Every day there’s a more over-the-top shoe to review. It takes a pretty startling photo to get us excited about the latest design. Just when we think we’ve seen it all, along comes an incredible creation that causes us to run to the keyboard.
This Gianmarco Lorenzi masterpiece is just that shoe. It’s taller than tall, features an amazing array of bright colors, and to top it off, is made of patent leather!
This pink and purple pump has a peep toe and features contrasting florescent yellow insole. The blue stiletto heel is 16 centimetres tall. After careful calculation, that would be 6 1/2 inches in length. The wedge alone is 7 or 2 and 3/4 inches. That seems mighty tall to me.
Oh, and the cost. If you guessed $816.57, you would be exactly right. Yes, pricey to say the least…but you have to admit, that’s a lot of shoe. in height anyway.
It got me thinking about patent leather shoes and how popular they once were. They were shiny, usually black, and thought to be the cause of certain reflections as the famous 70s book by John Powers* suggested.
Take a look at these vintage 60s-70ish 3-strap Mary Janes with clunky heel. The asking price on Ebay–$65!
Classic Mary Janes were often made in patent leather and were named after the sweetheart of Buster Brown in the famous comic strip that began in 1902. We’ve come a long way in shoe design since then but, in a roundabout way, we can trace our passion for patent to this little girl character created at the turn of the century.
For those who love shiny shoes, who can resist Gianmarco’s (@GMLorenzi) tall sculpted platforms or the simple glossy foot covers of Mary Jane. Each is a sight to behold!
*”Do Black Patent Leather Shoes Really Reflect Up?”
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