Are this season's pumps just a fleeting memory???I've been pondering this issue for quite some time now and I thought it would make a very interesting topic for discussion: would you buy a pair of fashion heels fresh off the runway? This past season I wasn't so much blown away by the clothing in certain collections but, rather, it was the high heels which captivated me so. From the sculpted pumps at Christian Dior to the tribal-inspired feathered heels at Louis Vuitton, I couldn't keep my eyes off what the models were wearing on their feet. Obviously such fancy footwear is a little out of my league (although I do wish more attention could be given to men's shoes), but I still couldn't wait for those heels to arrive on the sales floor at Saks, Barney's, and Bergdorf. I was just dying to spot a woman walking down the street in a soaringly high pair so that I could yell, "Hey, I love your shoes! Rodarte, non?"
But, as the shows in Milan and Paris ended so did my fantasy and I slowly floated back into my own life. Occasionally, however, I would stumble across a $950 pair of sequined Miu Miu pumps on Net-a-Porter or see those feathered Louis Vuitton heels in
ELLE listed at over $2,000. Then they announced "recession" and I began to think, "Who is buying these outrageously priced shoes? I mean not only are they impossible to walk in, but they're also going to be sooooo dated!" It's such a shame. The heels are beautiful and no doubt exquisitely made, but how long are they actually wearable? You pay over $1,000 this season for a pair of your favorite designer's pumps and only to turn around and have them be outshined by another pair in less than 6 months.
A number of factors seem to be at play in this equation. Just how lavish and loud
are these shoes? On one hand, a basic black satin Prada heel can be worn for a lifetime, despite their age, while pair of platform, patent leather Yves Saint Laurent booties can only be worn for so long before they're officially chisled into the tombstone for Fall 2008 (R.I.P). On the other hand, this season's platform, patent leather Yves Saint Laurent booties are only going to be available for so long (and quantities are limited) so it might behoove one to purchase a pair immediately. Then, 9 years from now when patent comes back around and people begin to question where you got your shoes you can answer, "Oh my,
these old things? They're vintage."
So, what's your take on the issue?
Yves Saint Laurent
Christian Dior
Rodarte
Louis Vuitton
Prada
