Sumptuous shoes on the pathway to fame
Sumptuous shoes on the pathway to fame
Muara Bagdja, Contributor, Jakarta
With inquisitive visitors peering into their glass cases, it's
initially difficult to make out the special features of the four
pairs of evening shoes on display at Plaza Indonesia, Central
Jakarta.
It's only on closer inspection that we see what sets them
apart from the sneakers, sandals, pumps and other examples of
regular footwear that the rest of us put on our feet.
First, these beautifully crafted shoes were once worn by
Hollywood actresses, shown in the photographs under their
respective cases, and second, they bear the brandname of one of
the world's most famous shoe designers.
Stuart Weitzman counts a long list of entertainers as
customers, among them actresses Calista Flockheart and Halle
Berry, and singer Diana Ross. Although the 2003 Academy Awards
were a decidedly toned-down affair because of the war in Iraq, at
least 15 Hollywood stars wore his designs.
"He is dubbed the 'king' of evening shoes," said Evelin
Setiadi, brand manager for the shoe designer in Indonesia.
"His unique works are seen as having artistic value, which
makes them worth displaying in this plaza's Art in the City
program to commemorate Jakarta's anniversary this month."
Of the shoes exhibited at the boutique until June 18, those
worn by Laura Harring at the 2002 Oscars stand out. The
Mulholland Drive star donned strapped sandals with 464-carat
diamonds, and photos of the "one-million-dollar shoes" made the
front pages of newspapers around the world.
Visitors to the exhibition will have to be satisfied with
another, less expensive version of the shoes, as Harring's pair
were sold at auction in London. Even without the teardrop
earrings, one can imagine the drop-dead glamor of the originals.
The next pair on exhibit, labeled "Divine", pays homage to the
beautiful feet of Oscar-winning Halle Berry, who wore black
leather strapped sandals to the Make a Wish Foundation gala night
in 2002. There are also the "Delirious Dyed Sky Blue" satin
sandals that singer-actress Queen Latifah wore to this year's
Oscars.
It's not only actresses who rely on sumptuous pumps,
glittering mules or studded stilettos to help them put their best
foot forward. In the expert hands of a designer like Weitzman,
shoes take on a character of their own.
The son of a shoe designer, Weitzman originally worked on Wall
Street before taking up the trade he had witnessed first-hand
since a child. In the past 40 years, he has earned the nickname
the "master of mix" and "master of craftsmanship" for his skill
in combining leather with other materials.
"I've always enjoyed working with innovative materials.
Lucite, natural cork, vinyl, wallpaper, 24-carat gold -- there
are many interesting mediums for the art of making shoes,"
Weitzman said on his homepage, www.stuartweitzman.com.
Among such products are the "Nuclear shoes", the last pair on
exhibit. Worn by Minnie Driver to the 1998 Screen Actors Guild
Awards ceremony, they take the form of leather sandals with
transparent plastic straps.
Artistic creations like Weitzman's shoes have come a long way
from their original, practical function to protect human feet.
In 3500 BC, "the Egyptians made imprints of their feet in wet
sand, molded braided papyrus into soles of the same size and
attached rawhide thongs to keep them on the foot", writes Linda
O'Keeffe in her book, Shoes: A Celebration of Pumps, Sandals,
Slippers & More.
In the Roman era, people began to use slippers. Native
Americans in the United States created moccasins, which have now
developed into loafers.
O'Keefe notes that the first record of a pair of heels worn
for reasons of vanity was in 1533, when Catherine de Medici
brought heeled shoes from Florence to Paris for her marriage to
the Duke of Orleans.
Her example set off a trend among ladies of the court.
The fact that the right pair of shoes can change one's life is
shown in the story behind Harring and her pricey pumps. According
to www.fashiondish.com, Harring's stylist, George Blodwell, was
responsible for turning the little-known actress into an
overnight sensation.
Blodwell negotiated with Weitzman, who was seeking an actress
suited to his creation and had in fact contacted Sharon Stone.
But Harring was finally chosen, and the stylist picked out
Giorgio Armani's column dress to accentuate the shoes. He tied
the gown to the waist to raise it a bit so that the diamond shoes
were more noticeable -- and Harring and her shoes became the talk
of the town.
Publicity around such an event not only serves to raise the
status and popularity of the artist, but also enhances
recognition of the value of shoes in society.
Unfortunately, the exhibition does not do justice to the shoes
or their designer. They are presented too simplistically to
inform visitors about the shoes' art, glamor and value. Although
the exhibition is a peak into the brilliance of the designer, it
fails to pay him proper homage.
Finding the shoe that fits
Wearing high heels or stilettos makes legs look longer and more
elegant, but you may run the risk of pain in the legs and lower
back. Here are some tips to put your best foot forward.
* Don't wear high-heeled shoes every day, but alternate with low
heels or flats.
* At the end of a day wearing high heels, flex and straighten
your legs to ensure smooth blood circulation and to relax your
aching muscles.
* Use foot spray to prevent "sweaty" feet. Moist toes will force
you to clench your foot and leg muscles to prevent slipping,
causing pain and stress on the legs.
* Don't be won over by designs that are beautiful but
impractical. It's more important to your health try high-heeled
shoes first to determine if they are comfortable for you.
Otherwise, forget them.