[images: Shoeblog]
I'm still reeling from having seen Louis Vuitton's perculiar accessories last week, but have had to conclude that the shoes in the label's spring/summer 2010 catwalk show are perhaps even odder.
Sprouting whisps of fur, fleece and what looks a bit like santa's beard, the footwear on show here would have been confusing enough without the addition of fluffy appendages. There's a pared-down orthopedic look going on, alongside acid-bright fabrics, rough-cut edging and metalwork that looks more suited to upholstery than footwear. I think the only things I do like about this range are the interestingly tiny heels and the bold use of colour; it's otherwise a fusion of hardware and hippy that does odd things to my head.
Related: Guess the owner: Louis Vuitton thigh-length ribbon boots | Victoria Beckham spices things up in Louis Vuitton
What do you get when two design heavyweights pair up to produce their combined vision of shoe perfection? At the moment, one answer is these fantastically futuristic looking heels that Rupert Sanderson has created for Karl Lagerfeld.
'Asteroid', pictured above in ice white and royal blue is a re-interpretation of one of Sanderson's most popular styles, but to gain entry to Lagerfeld's collection, it's been given a sexier, dominatrixy feel with bolted-down straps. Lagerfeld wanted a 'futuristic rock goddess' look, and I think these shoes succeed admirably: they've also got Sanderson's signature geometric heel, modeled on a Gio Ponti fork, which we are loving.
£795 at Rupert Sanderson
[Image: Elle.com]
What do you think of these new styles from Balenciaga? The obsession with geometric styling is still in evidence, but 'plasticky' toy-tone notes have been replaced with a more hand-woven vibe, with a big emphasis on soft textiles. That's quite a departure for the label that brought us hard-edged 'Lego' shoes, but it'll certainly fit in nicely with the folksy vibe that's coming through stronger than ever in next season's look books.
Once again, our old friend the 'pinched' cone heel is making an appearance. Having been seen most notably on Louis Vuitton's thigh-length ribbon boots, the look is already filtering on to the high street: these sandals from New Look also have the round-bottomed heel.
Related: Trend alert: 'Draping' on the Balenciaga catwalk | Paris Fashion Week S/S '10: Alexander McQueen goes to extremes
Is Karl Lagerfeld bringing back the clog? It appears so.
At the Chanel S/S 2010 show in Paris on Tuesday, Lagerfeld got a little bit country by erecting a giant haystack in the middle of the runway for his models to strut their stuff around.
They didn't wear wellies either. Instead, the designer added a touch of Dutch courage by presenting a collection of high-heeled clogs.
Embellished with brooches and studs, the wooden-heeled clogs provided the necessary rustic element to a rural-inspired collection. Yee-haw!
To watch the full show, click here.
[Image: PicApp]
Related: Paris Fashion Week S/S 2010: Alexander McQueen goes to extremes | Bargain Tuesday: New look channels Chanel
The show to create the most buzz from Paris Fashion Week over the past 24 hours came from Alexander McQueen. The British design legend once again brought out the big guns to present the most whimsical and outrageous collection of the week.
Collaborating with Lady Gaga (naturally, I mean look at those shoes), McQueen's live stream of his show was brought to a sudden end after Gaga fans logged onto SHOWstudio.com to hear the world premiere of her latest single which was played on the catwalk. Note to Gaga: it probably wasn't wise to Tweet that you were debuting your hot new track just 30 mins prior to show time. Oops!
But back to those incredible shoes...
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Could this be a sign that the obsession with leopard and other 'exotic' prints has finally reached its logical conclusion?
These show-stopping court shoes be Jean Charles de Castelbajac are not only completely covered in the feline fabric - they've sprouted eyes, fangs and even a tail, too! But would you wear them? If you're ever prone to shyness, you may want to stick with Marc Jacobs' mice...
£467 at Colette
Related: Whose shoes? Christian Louboutin's leopard boots | Rupert Sanderson 'Winona' leopard print heels
We've been getting so excited about House of Holland's legwear lately that it's easy to overlook the other developmemts going on in Henry Holland's growing empire, namely some rather fascinating shoes!
Wedge-style heels aren't to everybody's taste, and I certainly find the slope at the back of these shoes a bit vertiginous. But I do like the colour, which is a shade of raspberry red we don't often see in footwear. Best of all is the grey metallic strip around the heel and the counter (that's the bit that touches the actual heel on your body, fact fans!) which is a reflective honeycomb pattern when seen close up.
£350 at Browns
Related: Henry Hollands cut-out heels with zip | House of Holland for Pretty Polly hits Selfridges
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