Sumptuous shoes on the pathway to fame<\/p>\n
Muara Bagdja, Contributor, Jakarta<\/p>\n
With inquisitive visitors peering into their glass cases, it's
\ninitially difficult to make out the special features of the four
\npairs of evening shoes on display at Plaza Indonesia, Central
\nJakarta.<\/p>\n
It's only on closer inspection that we see what sets them
\napart from the sneakers, sandals, pumps and other examples of
\nregular footwear that the rest of us put on our feet.<\/p>\n
First, these beautifully crafted shoes were once worn by
\nHollywood actresses, shown in the photographs under their
\nrespective cases, and second, they bear the brandname of one of
\nthe world's most famous shoe designers.<\/p>\n
Stuart Weitzman counts a long list of entertainers as
\ncustomers, among them actresses Calista Flockheart and Halle
\nBerry, and singer Diana Ross. Although the 2003 Academy Awards
\nwere a decidedly toned-down affair because of the war in Iraq, at
\nleast 15 Hollywood stars wore his designs.<\/p>\n
\"He is dubbed the 'king' of evening shoes,\" said Evelin
\nSetiadi, brand manager for the shoe designer in Indonesia.<\/p>\n
\"His unique works are seen as having artistic value, which
\nmakes them worth displaying in this plaza's Art in the City
\nprogram to commemorate Jakarta's anniversary this month.\"<\/p>\n
Of the shoes exhibited at the boutique until June 18, those
\nworn by Laura Harring at the 2002 Oscars stand out. The
\nMulholland Drive star donned strapped sandals with 464-carat
\ndiamonds, and photos of the \"one-million-dollar shoes\" made the
\nfront pages of newspapers around the world.<\/p>\n
Visitors to the exhibition will have to be satisfied with
\nanother, less expensive version of the shoes, as Harring's pair
\nwere sold at auction in London. Even without the teardrop
\nearrings, one can imagine the drop-dead glamor of the originals.<\/p>\n
The next pair on exhibit, labeled \"Divine\", pays homage to the
\nbeautiful feet of Oscar-winning Halle Berry, who wore black
\nleather strapped sandals to the Make a Wish Foundation gala night
\nin 2002. There are also the \"Delirious Dyed Sky Blue\" satin
\nsandals that singer-actress Queen Latifah wore to this year's
\nOscars.<\/p>\n
It's not only actresses who rely on sumptuous pumps,
\nglittering mules or studded stilettos to help them put their best
\nfoot forward. In the expert hands of a designer like Weitzman,
\nshoes take on a character of their own.<\/p>\n
The son of a shoe designer, Weitzman originally worked on Wall
\nStreet before taking up the trade he had witnessed first-hand
\nsince a child. In the past 40 years, he has earned the nickname
\nthe \"master of mix\" and \"master of craftsmanship\" for his skill
\nin combining leather with other materials.<\/p>\n
\"I've always enjoyed working with innovative materials.
\nLucite, natural cork, vinyl, wallpaper, 24-carat gold -- there
\nare many interesting mediums for the art of making shoes,\"
\nWeitzman said on his homepage, www.stuartweitzman.com.<\/p>\n
Among such products are the \"Nuclear shoes\", the last pair on
\nexhibit. Worn by Minnie Driver to the 1998 Screen Actors Guild
\nAwards ceremony, they take the form of leather sandals with
\ntransparent plastic straps.<\/p>\n
Artistic creations like Weitzman's shoes have come a long way
\nfrom their original, practical function to protect human feet.<\/p>\n
In 3500 BC, \"the Egyptians made imprints of their feet in wet
\nsand, molded braided papyrus into soles of the same size and
\nattached rawhide thongs to keep them on the foot\", writes Linda
\nO'Keeffe in her book, Shoes: A Celebration of Pumps, Sandals,
\nSlippers & More.<\/p>\n
In the Roman era, people began to use slippers. Native
\nAmericans in the United States created moccasins, which have now
\ndeveloped into loafers.<\/p>\n
O'Keefe notes that the first record of a pair of heels worn
\nfor reasons of vanity was in 1533, when Catherine de Medici
\nbrought heeled shoes from Florence to Paris for her marriage to
\nthe Duke of Orleans.<\/p>\n
Her example set off a trend among ladies of the court.<\/p>\n
The fact that the right pair of shoes can change one's life is
\nshown in the story behind Harring and her pricey pumps. According
\nto www.fashiondish.com, Harring's stylist, George Blodwell, was
\nresponsible for turning the little-known actress into an
\novernight sensation.<\/p>\n
Blodwell negotiated with Weitzman, who was seeking an actress
\nsuited to his creation and had in fact contacted Sharon Stone.<\/p>\n
But Harring was finally chosen, and the stylist picked out
\nGiorgio Armani's column dress to accentuate the shoes. He tied
\nthe gown to the waist to raise it a bit so that the diamond shoes
\nwere more noticeable -- and Harring and her shoes became the talk
\nof the town.<\/p>\n
Publicity around such an event not only serves to raise the
\nstatus and popularity of the artist, but also enhances
\nrecognition of the value of shoes in society.<\/p>\n
Unfortunately, the exhibition does not do justice to the shoes
\nor their designer. They are presented too simplistically to
\ninform visitors about the shoes' art, glamor and value. Although
\nthe exhibition is a peak into the brilliance of the designer, it
\nfails to pay him proper homage.<\/p>\n
Finding the shoe that fits<\/p>\n
Wearing high heels or stilettos makes legs look longer and more
\nelegant, but you may run the risk of pain in the legs and lower
\nback. Here are some tips to put your best foot forward.<\/p>\n
* Don't wear high-heeled shoes every day, but alternate with low
\nheels or flats.<\/p>\n
* At the end of a day wearing high heels, flex and straighten
\nyour legs to ensure smooth blood circulation and to relax your
\naching muscles.<\/p>\n
* Use foot spray to prevent \"sweaty\" feet. Moist toes will force
\nyou to clench your foot and leg muscles to prevent slipping,
\ncausing pain and stress on the legs.<\/p>\n
* Don't be won over by designs that are beautiful but
\nimpractical. It's more important to your health try high-heeled
\nshoes first to determine if they are comfortable for you.
\nOtherwise, forget them.<\/p>",
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