Princess Chic has a new website

Princess CHic has a new website. View our blog, register for Chicmail, interact with other members and browse at gorgeous shoes all day long. Our blog posts will now be posted on our website www.princesschic.com.au

Platforms defy function!

Platform shoes could be the eighth architectural wonder. They are remarkable examples of design but, like most of the seven fabled monuments of the ancient world, surely these extravagant pillars of footwear cannot last.

However exhilarating the shoe's concept, those wearers who equate height with power must finally acknowledge the obvious: Platform defies function. At the recent Paris fashion shows, towering soles topped out at 18cm, with designers such as Christian Lacroix and John Galliano showing all manner of sparkles, tassels and lacings up ... WOW!

The Fake Debate

As a working princess, I know about the pressures to look good in an office. Women are more competitive and judgemental then men and notice things like chipped nail polish, last seasons shoes or a really bad hair day. (men wouldn’t notice unless it was wrapped in boobs). We also notice fakes. Fake handbag, fake watch, sunglasses, scarf… seriously what secretary can afford a real Hermes Birkin bag – they cant!

There has been much debate recently about ‘fakes’. Is it OK to buy fake shoes and handbags? What impact does it have for the people in the fashion industry? Is it OK to buy knock offs rather than fakes?

The question should then be asked, how far do we go in the ‘fake debate’? If you criticize someone for wearing a fake pair of Louboutins, do you also have the same criticism for their fake hair (colour or extensions), nails, chicken fillets – cant these all be classed as adding to the fakeness of presentation we may present. Aren’t these all just tools we use to may us feel better about ourselves. And if that is the case, then what is wrong with that?

We accept fake fur? We accept fake orgasms? (c’mon, we’ve all done it). We accept fake hair colour? We accept fake meat (tofu)? How is different that a designer knock off, or a handbag inspired by Balenciaga?

On one side, we have the designers and fans of the products who feel that fakes dilute the brand by allowing “common” folks the ability to carry the bag. The factories that make illegal fashion have sweat shops in foreign countries. They don't have to pay taxes, which means that our economy suffers, and their employees have no benefits or medical care. Why not just buy a good quality leather purse that might not be as expensive, rather than try and be something your not?

On the other side, we’ve got shoppers and wanna-be-wealthy people who want the perceived status of the bag without paying the price. And I wonder if these budget fashionista’s think about the implications of buying the faux bag, shoes, watch or scarf.

I ask how much revenue is derived from companies selling ads to these ‘fakers’ on popular websites. If you look at the paid links, they are literally everywhere. So how can they advertise if it is illegal to manufacturer and sell fakes? That opens a whole other can of worms….

Some people would never knowingly buy a fake brand however buy something that looks similiar, especially in shoes. Steve Madden made knock offs of the Dior gladiators that Carrie wore in Sex and the City – is that wrong? Or just good business? So it brings the debate in a new direction, would you buy brands that knock off the design only, not the name and the design?

I will leave it up to you princess, to decide for your yourself whether to fake it or not

Write your best shoe poem and WIN

Here are Princess Chic HQ we were inspired by the many reasons you sent us for being a shoe princess during our recent Survey. We loved reading the responses and thought that there seems to be some talented princesses out there so want to enlist your help.

We want you to contribute to the content on our website. As you know each shoe comes with its own unique story. We like our stories to be fun but empowering to women so put that imagination into top gear, straighten that tiara and get cracking on writing your very own Shoe Poem. The poem only needs to be 4-5 lines and be fun and empowering.

The best poems will be added to the site with your name and winners receive a Princess Chic Gift Voucher.

1st Prize: Poem displayed online with your name as author and $100 gift voucher
2nd prize: Poem displayed online with your name as author and $50 gift voucher
3rd Prize: Poem displayed online with your name as author and $25 gift voucher

Get writing princesses! We cant wait to read the fabulous entries.
Promotion ends on 15th November.

Manolo Blahnik Sample Sale: A Shoe Frenzy

Even during a recession, no one can resist at deal—that is if you're referring to Manolo Blahnik. Yes, the legendary shoe designer, who attained cult status with a starring role as Carrie Bradshaw's shoe of choice on "Sex and the City" has a twice-annual sample sale. This means, prices are way below what you'd find at retail—leather heels start at $100, for instance.

And considering their retail price of at least $575—$100 is a total deal. So of course, the lines were insane! Women started lining up at 6 a.m. Wednesday for the "private" sale but mobs of shoe-obsessed Manolo fans continued to linger in all morning, even after doors opened to the public at 11 a.m.

The scene? What one would expect—total mayhem, with everyone pouring over tables upon tables of high-heel sandals, pumps, boots and even some flats (yes, Manolo makes flats). Shoes were divided up on tables marked by size number—but soon the matching pairs were suddenly single with their mates scattered all over the place, on the floor, in the corner, on another table.

“Shoes,” is what lured fashion publicist Nicole Newsum to the sale, as she mulled over a pair of metallic leather heels. “I’ve never been to this before. But still, I want to make sure I love whatever I buy. I’ll probably spend between $200 and $300.” Nora Nikci, a shop manager for Catherine Malandrino at Saks Fifth Avenue, was trying to decide whether to spring for a pair of leopard-print embellished heels for $125, after spotting two pairs for her mom. “My friend told me about this and I’m a shoe fanatic.”

Imelda Marcos’ Shoe Collection Merits Own Song, Off-Broadway Musical

Not much rhymes with Ferragamo, but that hasn’t stopped the creators of “Imelda: A New Musical,” an Off Broadway show about the controversial former first lady of the Philippines.
The musical tells the story of Imelda Marcos partly through her footwear; her nearly 3,000 pairs of shoes made her a symbol of the excesses of the regime led by the late Philippine strongman Ferdinand Marcos. The show has just opened at the Julia Miles Theatre in New York.

Marcos starts out relatively humbly in the production, in nude peep-toe heels, but soon her fortunes improve and her closet goes Hollywood. While future Philippine President Corazon Aquino plods around in brown or black pumps, Ms. Marcos dons eight different pairs of shoes over the course of two acts. About 20 more pairs are used as props.

“She has blue beaded gaudy shoes, but there’s also a really glitzy sparkly silver number, and a gold strappy [pair],” says Ivy Chou, costume designer for the musical, which is produced by the Pan Asian Repertory Theatre. Shoes made up 40% of the $1,500-$2,000 costume budget for Marcos, she says. (Many of the shoes onstage were donated, came from vintage stores or weren’t well-known brands.)

Tisa Chang, artistic producing director of the Pan Asian Repertory, the show’s producer, donated some pairs from her own closet. “The lyrics mention sequined, snakeskin, Ferragamo — I had a few designers they mentioned,” she says. “If you buy a pair that matches a certain outfit you don’t want to throw it out. It becomes kind of an artifact.”

One of the show’s big numbers is called “3,000 Pairs of Shoes.” At the start of the musical, three women who play muses intone: “A shoe collection so unreal, a million drag queens gave a squeal.” Imelda acts mystified by the fuss over her wardrobe: “Why the thrills for my espadrilles?” she sings.

The theater company invited Marcos to see the show, and while they don’t expect to see the 80-year-old “Iron Butterfly” in the house, they’re hoping some of her relatives will show up.
The production attempts to portray a rounded picture of Marcos that goes beyond the corruption that marked the regime. “We really wanted to give a fuller view,” says Chang. “Sometimes time allows us to take another look at people.”

Read about the Towering World of Tamara Mellon and Jimmy Choo

Mellon began her career at Phyllis Walters Public Relations, Mirabella, and followed as accessories editor for British Vogue in 1990. Recognizing the potential for development of high-end designer accessories, Mellon approached bespoke shoe-maker Mr Jimmy Choo with the idea of launching a ready-to-wear shoe company. As founder of the Jimmy Choo Company, Tamara secured funding for the creation of her business, and sourced factories in Italy. In addition, she set up an office in Italy to handle production, quality control and shipping.

By 2001, Jimmy Choo had over 100 wholesale clients including Harrods, Harvey Nichols and Saks Fifth Avenue. The design collaboration between Tamara and creative director, Sandra Choi led to an immediate demand from other top stores. The Motcombe Street store was followed by stores in New York, Las Vegas and Beverly Hills. In April 2001, the expansion of Jimmy Choo took a step forward with the announcement of a new partnership with Equinox Luxury Holdings Ltd. This transaction enabled Jimmy Choo to achieve outstanding results, with the introduction of handbag and small leather goods collections.

In November 2004, with the company valued at £101 million, Hicks Muse announced the majority acquisition of Jimmy Choo — yet another significant move for the future development of the company.

Jimmy Choo shoes have been sung about by starlets such as Beyonce Knowles and the shoes are well-known as the shoes of choice for Hollywood red carpet events. Mellon has the worlds largest collection of Jimmy Choo’s to the value of $500,000.

From the first boutique opened in London’s Knightsbridge in 1996, Jimmy Choo now has a total of 39 stores including London, New York, Beverly Hills, Milan and Hong Kong and is distributed by select stores worldwide. The brand continues to have strong ambitions and plans to open a total of 50 stores worldwide by 2008. In 2007, Mellon made another appearance on the Sunday Times Rich List where she is ranked as the 751st richest person in the U.K with an estimated wealth of £99 million. She is also ranked as the 64th richest woman in Britain. Read the full story in the Towering World of Jimmy Choo. A great read about behind the scenes in the fashion industry.

When Jimmy Choo’s exclusive collaboration with H&M lands in stores on 14th November, a glimpse of the brand’s glamorous world will be available to all. Not only will Jimmy Choo be providing the perfect shoes for the party season at H&M, it will also be offering the clothes and accessories to match, as well as dressing men from head to toe. The collection features details such as crystals, studs and animal prints that make Jimmy Choo such a pioneer in the world of accessories. Arriving in around 200 stores worldwide, soon all will be able to experience the passion for Jimmy Choo at H&M.

"The Jimmy Choo collection for H&M is full of fun, one-off items with an accessible and glamorous identity made with stylish materials, emphasised with colour and embellishment. I wanted to create pieces that would reach a cool and young customer with a fashionable and independent sense of spirit in this one-off collaboration." Tamara Mellon, Founder and President, Jimmy Choo.

"This Autumn Jimmy Choo brings vitality and sexy glamour to H&M. I love the really high strappy sandals with lots of decoration and attitude, matched with clean-cut, 80s-inspired clothes. Designer Tamara Mellon always shows her amazing shoes with equally amazing clothes, and we wanted to offer our customers a complete collection - including men's shoes and clothes too. I think this collection suits anyone with a flair for fashion and high heels." Margareta van den Bosch, creative advisor at H&M.

It’s a shoe-lovers dream. For H&M, Jimmy Choo will be providing every style you need to see you through the season. From high heels and thigh-high boots to gladiator flats and ballet pumps, all the Jimmy Choo classic designs are there, and Jimmy Choo pulls out all the stops to provide decoration for the feet.There are crystal embellishments, studs, animal prints such as zebra, and accent colours of red and blue to give the shoes that real power. While glamour is the key to the skyscraper high heels, Jimmy Choo is also bringing a cropped Cuban-heel boot to H&M as well as the essential ballet pump to make it a truly complete collection.

Cult status - Manolo Blahnik

Manolo Blahnik... doesn't that name give you flash backs of that Sex and the City episode when Carrie was in the Vogue fashion closet and comes across a pair of supposedly mythical Mary Janes. Even if they didn't fit her properly, she managed to squeeze her foot in them anyway. That is the appeal that "Manolo's" have had on the women of the world. You want them no matter what.

A friend of mine said to me once that she didn't see what was supposedly so great about Manolo's. And yes, she had seen them in person, their design, to her was not very striking or beautiful. But as I explained to her, with Manolo's it is also about the fit and not just what they look like. After all women don't go spending hundreds of dollars on a pair of Manolo's just because it looks pretty (unless you have millions of dollars spare of course, then you can buy anything that looks pretty). It is the design of the shoe that has women going gaga over Manolo Blahnik's.

Born in Santa Cruz de la Palma in the Canary Islands in 1942, Manolo Blahnik was destined for big things. In 1965 after studying architecture and literature at the University of Geneva, Blahnik moved to Paris to study art. A few years later he's working at fashion boutiques and part of the thriving art scene of London. He hit New York in 1971, where he met with the legendary Diana Vreeland, who was then the editor of US Vogue. After looking at his drawings she encourages him to "go make shoes".

Fast forward a few years and Blahnik buys out Zapata, a boutique in Chelsea (England) that stocked his designs. By the late seventies, he broke into the US by creating a collection in Bloomingdales and opens up his first store the following year on New York's Madison Avenue. A partnership with George Malkemus, then a young copywriter in Bergdorf Goodman's marketing department helped Manolo's take off in the US.

Over the next few decades, he collaborates with many fashion designers from Calvin Klein, Isaac Mizrahi, John Galliano, Perry Ellis, Bill Blass, Caroline Herrera, Oscar de la Renta and Zac Posen. With his successful formula of designing shoes with a "good solid look that will wear forever" his already long list of clientele continues to grow, with everyone from the rich and famous to royalty wearing Manolo's. It comes as no big surprise, after all this is a man that knows his shoes - he has been studying it for the past 30 years.

"I know how to cut and still make it so that it stays on the foot. And the secret of toe cleavage, a very important part of the sexuality of the shoe. You must only show the first two cracks. And the heel. Even if it's twelve centimetres high it still has to feel secure and that's a question of balance. That's why I carve each heel personally myself 'on the machine and then by hand with a chisel and file, until it's exactly right.'

With that kind of dedication, it is no wonder that he has women (and some men) going crazy over the newest and rarest pair of Manolo's.

The most expensive Louboutins in the world.

L’Wren has teamed up with shoe designer to the stars, Christian Louboutin, to create a limited collection of timeless sandals and pumps. Amongst this collection is “The Crocodile Pump” for $4,600. Christian’s bold approach to shoe design combined with L’Wren’s perfectionist vision for classic couture has created the perfect accessory for the little black dress. This distinctive pump highlights the designers leg lengthening style by adding a 100mm heel. The exceptional crocodile skin’s smooth finish in black is enhanced by Christian Louboutin’s red leather soles. Crocodile is all the rage these days so too.

Cobra Shields $120,000 Sandals

How justifiable is the idea of using a poisonous cobra as a safety guard of luxurious sandals? London’s retailer Harrods has practiced this ‘wise’ idea for the safety of its shoe outlet of which the most elite pair is $120,000 (62,000 pound) sandals.

In today's age of motion and touch sensors and every other kind of high-tech gadget we've got for security of precious goods, Harrods in London recently took a unique step to protect a pair of very expensive shoes: they hired a poisonous cobra to stand guard Rene Caovilla’s beautiful pair of thongs festooned with ruby- sapphire- and diamond-encrusted was under the custody of the live Egyptian cobra during the launch of the shoe collection on 10 September.

Obviously this was a publicity stunt, not a real security effort, but I say good for them. That's pretty clever, and for all intents and purposes it worked. The cobra has since returned to its owner and the shoes are, I'm sure, under a more traditional lock and key type security system. Curious what kind of shoes warranted such a show? A pair of red sandals by Rene Caovilla that are encrusted with rubies, sapphires, and diamonds and valued at about $120,000.
Security experts may counter it but hungry photographers would not skip this photogenic moment. Harrods spokeswoman confessed that the cobra was deputed especially for unveiling of the shoe collection and has been returned to its proprietor.

McQueens snake shoes - uhh!

Alexander McQueen’s Spring 2010 runway collection was a statement about the future of our world. More specifically, the meltdown of our world due to global warming. The fantasy heels on the runway looked like they were out of this world - or at least this land. They were super high and featured interestingly curved booties designed for the the animalistic and bold. Im sorry but i think these are hideous. How many words are there for 'ugly'!!

Biography of legendary shoe designer Roger Vivier

Born in Paris France, Vivier studied sculpture at the Ecole des Beaux in Paris until an invitation from friends to design a collection of shoes for their shoe factory, interrupted his studies. In 1936 he worked for other shoe makers before opening his own house the following year. Vivier designed for many major shoes manufacturers, Pinet, Bally, Delvain, Rayne and Turned in the UK. Vivier agreed to work exclusively for Delvain in 1938 but the completion of his contract as prevented by his mobilisation in 1939.

One year later he was out of the army and off to New York where he worked with Delvain until 1941. In 1942, having studied MIllinerary, Vivier opened a shop with Suzanne Remy, a well respected Parisian milliner. In 1945 back with Delvain he produced several collections one of which included crystal shoes. He returned to Paris and worked freelance until Dior opened a shoe department in his salon in 1953 and appointed vivier as designer. During his stay, Vivier made some o the most influential shoes of the period.

He translated 18th Century mules into evening shoes, court shoes and day boots. In 1957 he created a stacked heel, chisel toed shoes which become very populr. He made circular diamonte heels, wedge shoes and bread embroidered shoes. In the 1960’s he designed African sandals and a shoe with a mother of pearl and silver buckle. A nonconformist master craftsman who rarely faltered, Vivier was noted for his skill in positioning and balancing innovative heels and for his imaginative use of texture. He reopened his business in 1963 in Paris and continued to produce two collections a year until his death in 1998. .

What is your shopping footprint??

A shopping footprint is made up of the ways people shopping affects the environment. Shopping footprints include:
* the raw materials goods are made from
* how the goods are manufactured
* how goods are transported
* where goods are sold
* how the goods are packaged for sale

The shopping industry is made up if everything involved in the making and sale of the
things people buy. Farmers, manufacturers, shop owners ad ordinary people all benefit from the shopping industry. But shopping comes at a cost to the environment.


Rethink
Instead of throwing away old shoes & bags, give it to charity so that it can be used by someone else.
Altering clothes to fit better is better for the environment than buying new ones
Reuse and recycle and reduce your shopping footprint
Outdoor shopping malls use less lighting, heating and cooling than indoor malls so they have lighter environmental footprint.
Shopping online provides a good alternative to driving to shops
Every cent that someone spends in a retail store, increases the size of their shopping footprint.
Leaving extra packaging behind in the shop encourages manufacturing to use less packaging in the future.

How to work out your shopping footprint
On a piece of paper make a note of how regularly (never, sometimes, often) you:
travel to the shops in a car
go shopping without knowing exactly what you plan to buy
buy clothes and wear them only for one season
buy products because they are cheapest, without thinking about how long they might last
put packaging straight into the garbage without cutting out the bits that can be recycled.

If you’re answers are mostly never, you have a light shopping footprint
If you’re answers are mostly sometimes, means your footprints are average
Often you are trading heavily on the environment and leaving a deep footprint

Christian Louboutin is a master of the platform shoe and is famous for his red sole shoe.

BUt you dont think of champaigne when you think of Louboutin, do you. Well that might soon change.

Louboutin is dabbling in the champagne business. In October, Christian Louboutin will launch his own champagne with champagne house Piper Heidsieck. The limited edition “Le Rituel” box set is meant to revive an old ritual in the 1880s of drinking from the shoe of a woman. The crystal stiletto designed by Christian Louboutin will carry the signature red sole and is included in this limited edition gift box set.

No word on pricing. Hope you can get it in Oz.

Taking platforms to the extreme

Now i am the ultimate shoe loving princess. I love my heels and it is a very rare day that you see me in flats. Most people i know have never seen that rare phenomen. But there is a limit to just how high a platform i will wear....

Versace Spring 2010 Fantasy Land Shoes: Donatella Versace’s Spring Collection was said to be inspired by the upcoming Alice in Wonderland movie from Tim Burton. This must explain the medley of playful polka dot, geometric, and pastel prints. These heels will add inches to your height and will make you stand head and shoulders above the crowd.

Shoes good enough to eat - literally!!

How fab do these shoes look? They look so great you can eat them - literally! They are cakes by famous cake artists and designer Rachel Mount in London. Amazing...

Pink parking spaces for high heel wearers

In May, the city government of Seoul Korea, started to paint 4,929 public and private parking places pink throughout the city, with thousands more slated to go under the brush next year. The pink parking spots, reserved for women drivers so they don’t have to walk so far to work or the mall, are part of the South Korean capital’s Women Friendly Seoul Project, an effort for the notoriously macho Asian city of more than 10 million to transform itself into a safer, more heel-friendly “space for women.”

While I would love the benefits of a closer parking space and one that is apparently wider than average (after all, who wants their car to be dinged?), I agree that the effort is misguided. But as a high heel women, i wouldnt complain.....

you thought your heels were high!!

This is an artists impression of what women go through when they wear heels. think he might be exagerating a bit?? He forgets the most important thing - beautiful shoes make us feel beautiful!!

Jimmy Choo to launch H&M collection

Jimmy Choo, the British accessory brand best known for its celebrity footwear, is creating a collection for H&M. This latest fashion coup for the Swedish chain, announced today, is their seventh big name designer range since Karl Lagerfeld's collection launched in 2004.
Following on from this summer's hit two-part collection by Matthew Williamson, it will be the first H&M designer range to revolve around accessories, with a focus on footwear and bags.
Famed for its posh party shoes and given mass appeal by Sarah Jessica Parker's character Carrie Bradshaw in Sex and the City, Jimmy Choo's new range for H&M is to include around 15 different pairs of women's shoes.

H&M customers can expect to pay from £40 for a pair of ballet pumps to about £180 for boots. This is considerably cheaper than the real deal, with average Jimmy Choo shoes costing between £450 and £495, and up to £2,000 for boots in an exotic skin, such as crocodile. This launch also marks the debut of Jimmy Choo clothing, with a small women's capsule collection to accompany the accessories, and another first for the luxury brand: a series of men's shoes, bags and clothing.
Tamara Mellon, the founder and president of Jimmy Choo, is overseeing the project. She has described the designs as "the perfect party pieces to buy now and then wear out that night".
A former accessories editor at British Vogue, Mellon launched Jimmy Choo as a ready-to-wear fashion label in 1996, a partnership with shoe couturier Jimmy Choo.

Sex and the City 2 just went into production. Everyone is watching to see what shoes are being worn. Lots of Louboutin. Well, that’s not completely fair, but out of the 6 initial photos I saw, 5 showed her wearing Christian Louboutins. More photos are emerging, so that is changing.
So here we go: This looks like it may be a flashback with the 80’s hair, make-up and converse shoe thing.

10 strange things about shoes

Are you superstitious? You may say no, but I would bet that you have participated in some of these seemingly innocent rituals. And I wonder if this is any indication why women seem to like to collect shoes… and lots of them?
1. Many people feel very nervous about the 13th of any month falling on a Friday and shoes seem to have been given some magical powers on this particular day. It is thought that if you wear an old pair of shoes on this unlucky day, you will ward off any bad luck that may cross your path.
2. This superstition is especially for any young girls who might be reading this article. Did you know that the laces in your shoes have also been connected to your love life! If they should become undone accidently, take a quick look around you. It is thought that the young man you are destined to marry is thinking about you at that very moment.
3. Do you have a trip planned in the near future? It is thought that if you leave a pair of shoes on the front porch, you will return from your trip with a smile on your face.
4. In many small town weddings, shoes are often tied to the wedding car, and it is thought to bring good luck for the couple, but I also found that this superstition goes even further. Apparently the bridesmaid who tied the shoe to the car had her own fortune in mind. It is something along the same line as catching the bridal bouquet. She will be the next to marry. That would explain the multiple shoes that I have seen tied to the backs of cars. Each bridesmaid was out to catch herself a man!
5. And how many of us have committed this faux pas? The outfit that we wear to a funeral should never be new and that is especially true of the shoes. That means, you save one outfit and a pair of shoes at the back of your wardrobe for that unfortunate occasion.
6. And for those of you who suffer from nightmares… could it be that you slipped your feet out of your shoes and pushed them under the bed. Shoes left beneath you while you sleep supposedly cause bad dreams.
7. If you wish to become wealthy, you should never throw out a pair of shoes until you have worn a hole in them. For me, it’s just a case of can’t be bothered replacing them, but hey… I just might hold onto them a while longer. I have an indoor swimming pool to save up for. Something tells me that I’m going to be wearing these slippers for a very long time.
8. If you get out of bed in a bad mood, be sure to check the house for shoes that have been turned over. It is a sure sign that you will quarrel with someone.
9. I was just at a wedding a few weeks ago and never thought to ask the bride if she had A sixpence in her shoe. Her family is very British, so I think that there was probably a very good chance that someone had slipped her the tiny coin. I always thought that this was for luck, but apparently it is to bring wealth to the couple. good
10. And finally, on a cheerful note, don’t wear new shoes on Christmas day. Just asking for trouble.

See behind the scenes of Vogue - The September Issue

Did you ever wonder whether Anna Wintour is as cold as she seems? Whether fashion publishing is the glamorous world it's made out to be?

The September Issue is the fly-on-the-wall documentary that goes behind the scenes of production of the 2007 September issue of US Vogue. People who love the magazine and the larger than life editor Anna Wintour will love it. Anyone who ever wondered what goes into producing those glorious expensive fashion shoots will learn a great deal, and those who wondered how magazines make money will also get an education.Director R.J. Cutler and his crew gained unfettered access to the Vogue team, following them from New York to Rome and Paris. Apparently all Cutler had to do to get this unprecedented access was to ask. The film does not always paint Wintour in the kindest light. Nor does it portray her as a ghoul. Yes, she shakes down Mario Testino for not delivering a shot of the Colosseum. Sure, she throws out $50,000 worth of beautiful photography breaking a senior stylist's heart. But overhwleming, she comes across as quietly powerful, driven, single-minded and even generous. She gains young designers Thakoon a lucractive collaboration with Gap and cracks and warm smile, sharing kind words at the collection launch. She also labels her creative director Grace Coddington a genuis, without prompting.Coddington, it turns out, is the star of the film.

A former model, she started at Vogue on the same day as Wintour 20 years ago. Coddington is the creative and romantic foil to Wintour's steel. It is she who delivers the luxurious and expensive photo shoots we love to flick through. With the look of Queen Elizabeth I, and possibly of the same age, Coddington puts her heart and soul into Vogue. She is battered when her shoots are pulled and soars when her ideas are accepted by Wintour. A must see for all aspiring fashionista's.

The Manolo FIles - part 2

Manolo Blahnik is a shoe god.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EL8U_lLdgTc&feature=fvst

A visit to Shoe Mecca – Manolo Blahnik

See inside the Blanik Las Vegas store and start drooling....
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WGjCel3mDLQ

Coco Chanel - fashion legend

Gabrielle Bonheur "Coco" Chanel (19 August 1883 – 10 January 1971) was a pioneering French fashion designer whose modernist philosophy, menswear-inspired fashions, and pursuit of expensive simplicity made her an important figure in 20th-century fashion. Her extraordinary influence on haute couture was such that she was the only person in the field to be named on TIME magazines 100 most influential people of the 20th century.

Chanel was born in 1883 on the 19th of August. She was the second daughter of traveling salesman Albert Chanel and Jeanne Devolle. There was a misspelling on her birth certificate that recorded her last name as "Chasnel," making the tracing of her roots almost impossible for biographers when Chanel later rose to prominence. Coco was born in a poorhouse. Her birth was recorded the following day. Two employees of the hospice went to city hall and declared the child of feminine gender. The hospice employees were illiterate, so when the mayor François Poitu wrote down the birth, no one knew how to spell Chanel so the mayor improvised and recorded it with an "s," making it Chasnel. Her parents married in 1883. She had five siblings: two sisters, and three brothers. In 1895, when she was 12 years old, Chanel's mother died of tuberculosis and her father left the family a short time later because he needed to work to raise his children. Because of his work, the young Chanel spent seven years in the orphanage of the Roman Catholic monastery of Aubazine, where she learned the trade of a seamstress. School vacations were spent with relatives in the provincial capital, where female relatives taught Coco to sew with more flourish than the nuns at the monastery were able to demonstrate. When Coco turned eighteen, she left the orphanage, and took up work for a local tailor.

While working at a tailoring shop she met and soon began an affair with the French playboy and millionaire Etienne Balsan who lavished her with the beauties of "the rich life," diamonds, dresses and pearls. While living with Balsan, Chanel began designing hats as a hobby, which soon became a deeper interest of hers. After opening her eyes, as she would say, Coco left Balsan and took over his apartment in Paris. In 1913, she opened up her very first shop which sold a range of fashionable raincoats and jackets. Situated in the heart of Paris it wasn't long before the shop went out of business and Chanel was asked to surrender her properties. This did not discourage Chanel; it only made her more determined. During the pre-war era, Chanel met up with an estranged and former best friend of Étienne Balsan . With his assistance, Chanel was able to acquire the property and financial backing to open her second millinery shop in Brittany. Her hats were worn by celebrated French actresses, which helped to establish her reputation. In 1913, Chanel introduced women’s sportswear at her new boutique in Deauville, in the Rue Gounaut-Biron; Marthe, Countess de Gounaut-Biron (daughter of American diplomat, John George Alexander Leishman, was Chanel's first aristocratic client. Her third shop and successor to her biggest store in France was located in Deauville, where more women during the World War I era came to accept her view that women were supposed to dress for themselves and not their men.

Later in life, she concocted an elaborate false history for her humble beginnings. Chanel would steadfastly claim that when her mother died, her father sailed for America to get rich and she was sent to live with two cold-hearted spinster aunts. She even claimed to have been born in 1893 as opposed to 1883, and that her mother had died when Coco was two instead of twelve. All this was done to diminish the stigma that poverty, orphanhood, and illegitimacy bestowed upon unfortunates in nineteenth-century France.

In 1920, she was introduced by ballet empresario Sergei Diaghilev to world famous composer Igor Stravinsky, to whom she extended an offer for him and his family to reside with her. During this temporary sojourn it was rumoured that they had an affair.

The Chanel empire
In 1923, Coco Chanel said to Harpers Bazaar that "Simplicity is the keynote of all true elegance." Coco Chanel always kept the clothing she designed simple, comfortable and revealing. Unlike most designers in that Europe, she kept the woman inside the clothes at the center of her creations. "I gave women a sense of freedom; I gave them back their bodies: bodies that were drenched in sweat, due to fashion's finery, lace, corsets, underclothes, padding." She took what were considered poor fabrics like jersey and upgraded them. Chanel's style is popularly associated with the image of the 1920s flapper, a "new breed" of self-confident young women that challenged the established concept of socially acceptable behavior. The flappers demonstrated their independence through new looks and attitude, such as short skirts and haircuts, openly using cosmetics, and being seen to smoke and drink cocktails. Compared to previous generations of women the flappers also showed an increased level of activity, pursuing athletic sports, driving their own automobiles, and going out to nightclubs where they could listen to jazz music and do energetic dances such as the Charleston.

The iconic Chanel jacket is in many ways a microcosm of this design philosophy. A Chanel couture jacket has numerous design and construction details that distinguish it from a tailored jacket as traditionally constructed. For example, these jackets lack the complex inner structure of interfacings, pad stitching, and facings commonly used in bespoke tailoring. Rather, the silk lining is machine quilted directly to the fashion fabric, the long exterior seams of the fashion fabric are machine sewn, then the shoulder fashion fabric seams are machine sewn. The interior lining seams and the outside edges of the lining are turned under and hand stitched to the edge of the jacket. The three piece sleeve (another distinctive Chanel feature) is constructed in a similar manner, then hand sewn to the body of the jacket. The heavy trims, cast metal buttons and the curbed chain sewn to the hem have a functional purpose by adding weight to a garment that is really nothing more than fashion fabric and lining. The end result is a supremely comfortable garment, more like a sweater than a traditional jacket. Most of her fashions had a staying power, and didn't change much from year to year—or even generation to generation. Karl Lagerfield has been, since 1983, the art director of Chanel, both for the haute couture and pret a porter.

Chanel came out with her first signature fragrance, Chanel No 5, in 1921. The perfume was the first to have a designer's name attached to it, and it has enjoyed tremendous success since its introduction. In this way, Chanel set the standard for successive designers to do the same.

Later years
In 1925, Vera Bate Lombardi, reputedly the illegitimate daughter of Adolphus Cambridge and Duke of Teck became Chanel's muse and public relations liaison to a number of European royal families. Lombardi had the highest connections possible to build the House of Chanel. Chanel established the English look based upon Lombardi's persona and Lombardi introduced Chanel to her uncle the Duke of Westminster, her cousin the Duke of Windsor, and many other aristocratic families for Chanel's creative, romantic, financial, social and political rise to power.
In 1939, at the beginning of World War II, the designer closed her shops. She believed that it was not a time for fashion. She took up residence in the Hotel Ritz Paris and for more than 30 years, Chanel made this hotel her home, even during the Nazi occupation of Paris. During that time she was criticized for having an affair with Hans Gunther von Dincklage, a German officer and Nazi spy who arranged for her to remain in the hotel.[ She also maintained an apartment above her couture house at 31, rue Cambon and built Villa La Pausa in Roquebrune on the French Riviera.

In 1943 after 4 years of professional separation, Chanel sought collaboration with Lombardi in Rome to access Lombardi's relative Sir Winston Churchill under the guise of requesting Lombardi return to work for the House of Chanel in Paris. When Vera refused to comply with Chanel's request to come to Paris, she was arrested as an English spy and thrown into a Roman prison by the Gestapo. The true motives of Chanel's invitation to Lombardi, was that Chanel wanted Lombardi to contact Churchill in order for him to see Chanel. Chanel was later arrested for war crimes, but prevented from being taken to trial through the British Royal family's intervention.

In 1945, she moved to Switzerland, eventually returning to Paris in 1954, the year she also returned to the fashion world. Her new collection did not have much success with the Parisians because of her relationship with the Nazi spy; however, it was much applauded by the Americans, who were to become her most loyal customers.

Death
Coco Chanel died of a heart attack in Paris on 10 January 1971, aged 87, in her private suite at the Hôtel Ritz, and she was buried in Lausanne, Switzerland. Her tombstone is carved with stone lion heads representing her birth sign, Leo.

A chat with Giuseppe Zanotti

On Thursday, April 30th the visionary shoe designer Giuseppe Zanotti made an in-store appearance at the famous Bergdorf Goodman on 5th Avenue in New York City. He was there in honor of his Spring 2009 collection, and the lucky women (and men) who purchased his shoes were invited to have their soles signed and take a Polaroid picture with the designer which was then topped off with a personalized message and decoration by Giuseppe himself. The compliments and fans surrounding the designer were plentiful and Giuseppe eagerly and happily shook hands and exchanged greetings with each and every person. He was unrelentingly gracious and, while I had been warned that there was a language barrier, his grasp of the English language was impressive and the obstacles for him to express himself were few.

So, what did Giuseppe have to say about his Spring collection? For one, he was inspired by many things, but the line's color palette, unique embellishments and details are "A tribute to Africa…[a celebration of] the arts from Africa, the painters, the music…Africa is our base." He referenced the shades of brown he's used, the silver ornaments and the zebra prints as all being inspired by Africa but with a sense of "the new world" incorporated into them as well.

Giuseppe mentioned that he pulls much of his inspiration for each collection from what he called his library of women's shoes, but in reality sounds more like something I (and I would imagine most women) would refer to as a museum as well as a dream come true. This "library" consists of 7,500 plus pairs and holds styles dating back to the 18th century. The other large influence on Giuseppe's shoes? His passion for music. "I put my culture and records into my shoes - they are the same thing."

For Fall of 2009, Giuseppe described what we can expect through an assortment of descriptive adjectives like "Rock & Roll and gothic; dark but positive! A focus on women's beauty and decadence…crazy, pure illusion! " He referenced the 90's film Interview with a Vampire to emphasize his vision of elegance mixed with a dark but seductive edge.

And for Spring 2010? He's planning to showcase what he described as "colors in the wrong", which he went on to explain as being combinations and mixes of colors that are very untraditional and unexpected. He also claimed it would have "a jump from classic to Pop Art."
So how is the recession treating a designer whose shoes often run in the thousand dollar range? "Women buy the best!" he said cheerily. "The sandals, [they are] still selling well…they represent Summer [and are] something new." One of the reasons he believes his designs are doing well is that his shoes complete the personalized and diversified look that Today's Woman is after. "In the 90's, women [were] slaves of the total look from magazine pages…now women choose for themselves…something from here, something there."

But perhaps even Giuseppe lovers are showing some affinity for practicality during these rough times. It's not those high, sculpted heels that are flying off the shelves…according to Giuseppe "Seventy percent more flats than heels are selling!"

What do Sarah Jessica Parker and the German national soccer team have in common?

What do Sarah Jessica Parker and the German national soccer team have in common? Their love of shoes, of course.

One thing the world has learned from "Sex and the City" is that shoes are much more than mere footwear. One doesn't simply wear one's shoes. One loves them. And one lives in them. Shoes are a world that fashionable men and women inhabit: a kind of portable apartment that children, pets and annoying relatives are not allowed to visit.

People who love their shoes live their life as if it were an expensive Caribbean vacation. That is why Sarah Jessica Parker alias Carrie Bradshaw always feels like she's walking not on air, but, much more literally, money.

Extensive research into the social structure of Ancient Rome has led some Classical scholars to reinterpret the old Latin proverb Omnia mea mecum porto. For centuries, this old saying was translated as "I carry all my possession with me." It implied that our intellect is our most precious possession.

New evidence, however, suggests two different ways of reading this ancient pearl of wisdom: "All that I have, I invest in my sandals" or "I wish I could carry all my sandals with me." In view of the newly discovered Roman obsession with shoes, stoicism is currently undergoing a radical reappraisal.

The newsest workout craze

If you're anything like me, you have a gym memebership which you barely use. You want the quick fix to staying in shape while being able to eat & drink whatever you want.... fairytale!! Well i dont have a solution to that problem but can give you an alternative solution to your workout woes. The latest craze in fitness in the US is the High Heel Workout. A workout specifically designed to make you more confident and stronger while strutting in your heels.

The NEW High Heel Fitness Workout and Instructional DVD teaches the foundation to walking in high heels, which admit it, many of us need a bit of help with, even though we all think we strut along the street like Supermodels. Watch and avoid the most common walking mistakes while decreasing the risk of injury and discomfort.

HIGH HEEL FITNESS WORKOUT & INSTRUCTIONAL DVD is the first high heel instructional and fitness workout proven to increase sexiness, confidence and grace in heels. The Legwork DVD teaches the advanced high heel fitness and training routines of top Broadway dancers and was created in collaboration with ballerinas, women’s shoe designers, fitness experts and podiatrists. Each instructor has over 12 years of professional dance training and experience in high heels. High heel fitness is the secret to sexy high heel walking and endurance!
High Heel Fitness Workout strengthens and tones legs and core, targeting specifically the upper and lower legs, abs, butt, the inner and outer thighs, calves, ankles and feet for stability, control and endurance in heels of all heights.

Have fun princess and walk like a supermodel!

Shoes that double as weapons

I have always believed that my trusty stilettos can double as weapons. Get into trouble on a dark night and wham!, one kick with your pointy toed stiletto's and your attacker goes down. But these pumps take that theory to a whole new level. You literally have weapons on your feet. Put your best stiletto forward with 'killer heels'.

The miracles of modern shoe technology are many. Just look at the common heel. Heel art is becoming more popular with modern designers. Case in point, Chanel's gun heels, made famous by Madonna. Celebrate and enjoy this heel art and put it on a pedestal where it belongs...

The making of a shoe.... more complicated than you think!

More than 100 operations go into the construction of a shoe. The first and most important step is the creation of the last, a hand crafted wood or plastic replica of the human foot. It determines the contour of the arch and how evenly the wearers weight will be distributed throughout the foot, both of which are critical in establishing comfort.

A different last is required for each shoe style, whether the shoes is handmade or mass produced. After recording as many as 35 measurements from a footprint, the make judges the symmetry of the toes, calculates the girth of the instep and ball of the foot and calculates the height of the big toe and contour of the instep. He also estimates how the foot will move inside the shoe.

The challenge is to address all these without compromising the architectural beauty of the shoe. For a heeled shoe, he/she visualises the heel height them determines the size of the throat. Next the appropriate height of the shoes quarter is established. Then using the last as guide, the patternmaker cuts out the shoes upper and lining bevels the edges to ensure a good fit and sews the pieces together. Next he constructs a toe box, adds the counter and soaks the leather so it will easily conform to the lines of the last. A master craftsman carefully positions the upper on the last, tautly stretching it before nailing it tightly into place. The upper dries on the last for 2 weeks before the sole and heel can be attached.

In the final steps, finishers trim the welt, pare the heel, burnish the sole and add the insole lining. Last but not least, the shoe is polished and buffed and ready for wear.

j'adore Christian Dior

How can you not love these divine Dior heels. They could be classed as shoe art with those gorgeous heels..... j'adore Dior!

Shoe Art that makes you wish you were a little girl again

Shoe Art is on show now. If you want to enjoy something whimsical, creative and fun, make sure you visit Noosa Regional Gallery and enjoy the Pedragon Shoes Art Exhibition. The designs will make you feel like a little girl in a fairy tale. Fun, quirky and creative are the best words to describe the collection. It is only small but make sure you take a look if it visits your area.

Designer Christian Louboutin is set to create a pair of pumps in Barbie’s “signature color” - Barbie Pantone 219 Pink. Barbie is turning 50 next year and to celebrate the event, Mattel Inc. is orchestrating a fashion show in her honor during New York’s Fashion Week. The show will feature Barbie-inspired designs by 50 designers and each model will totter down the runway in Louboutin’s pumps.

“I guess I always had a little ‘girlie side’ who liked Barbie. Barbie needs to wear great shoes because every girl needs to wear great shoes.” Quoted the man himself
Ugh. Barbie has already had a MAC lipstick made her signature color, gets to hang out with her main gay Ken, like, all the time and has a corvette, mansion, horse, mobile home. (and now she gets her own designer heels). What more could a girl possibly want!!

Interview with Manolo Blahnik

Manolo Blanik is god. I have said this on many occasions and belive it to be true.

Check out this interview with the shoe god himself.

http://shoetube.tv/Shoetube-Videos/Behind-the-Design/Shoetube-with-Manolo-Blahnik

http://shoetube.tv/Shoetube-Videos/Behind-the-Design/Shoetube-with-Manolo-Blahnik

WHEN do we develop our love our shoes?

I have recenly began to think about when a girl starts to develop a love of shoes. Is it something she is preconditioned to, in her genes or is something she learns and develops from fellow princesses as she gets older. I can remember the first time i was in awe of a pair of shoes. I was about 10 or 11 and my mother had bought these gorgeous black leather ankle boots. I loved them. I use to slip them on wishing they would fit me and strut (or should i say stumble) about her bedroom admiring myself in the mirror and wishing they fit me so I could wear them. Needless to say by the time I was able to wear them, they didnt fit. My adolesccent feet seemd to grow from a 6.5 (mum was a size 7) to 8 in one season so by the time winter came around the beloved boots did not fit me. I was so upset that those boots didnt get to grace my growing feet.

One my dear friends has a little girl 'Bella' who i am proud to say is a little princess who happens to be developing a love of shoes (she has just turned 3). As a member of the 'shoes are our religion club', i am inspired and proud of the fact that at the age of 3 she is starting to appreciate the beauty that is a shoe. I love hearing stories about her being very proud of her new sparkly slippers or her Xmas sandals that didnt want to take off. I feel a kinship to this beautiful little girl knowing that at such a long age she is growing to appreciate up us adult princesses, already know. Shoes are a religion.

But how early is too early for a little princess to learn, understand, appreciate and grow to love the 'shoe'? Is there such a thing as too early? Are all females destined to share this love for footwear as a form of bonding sisterhood that no man will ever understand? Instead of trying to answer all the questions, i say lets just enjoy it. it is what it is, dont over analyse, just LOVE them and pass that love onto the younger generations so we can continue to pass this wonderful tradition through the ages.

Walking in heels should be an Olympic event

Now you all know how much i love my heels. Put me in a pair of flats and my balance is all out or whack. I think woman dont get enough credit for the diffuculty factors we sometimes face when wearing our beloved stiletto's or platform pumps. It is not easy navigating the city terrain. I for one, dread walking in the city in my heels. To start with I am suspended 4 inches above the groud, balancing precariously on a heel 10mm wide (if im lucky). Then there are the uneven pavers that have been neglected over the years that make it near impossible to walk on. The cracks that have opened up and yet to be repaired by the City Council not to mention if its wet and the whole pavement becomes like one giant slippy slide.

it's not easy to deal with all whilst your faux Birkin is balanced on one arm and your blackberry in the other. If they made walking in stiletto's on the city pavement, im sure we would be in medal contention.... what do you think chics?

We want to hear your stiletto war stories....

What is your addiction?

Hi, my name is Tanya and i am addicted to shoes. I know i have an addiction but i cant help it. I love the feeling i get when i see the perfect black pump or the cute summer sandal that is on sale AND available in my size. My addiction is harmless. It hurts no one (except my credit card). I might be guilty of credit card cruelty but at least i'll die happy.

We all have an addiction - yes, including you princess! We are all addictd to something. Mine is shoes. Yours might be shopping, smoking, Red Bull or something more interesting. We want to know what your addiction is?? Wewll, what is it princess.