Architectural Shoes

The "it" color of the season marches down the runway and next month it's Sherwin Williams' best selling color. The newest wallcovering and carpet patterns recall the bohemian Ikat print dress that sashayed it's way into your closet last spring.   It is no secret that interior design follows fashion but have you heard of fashion, footwear in particular, following architecture?  

We've heard impossibly high heels referred to as skyscraper heels.  But rather than discuss the engineering feats of the shoe designer, we are more likely to marvel at the skill and agility of the wearer of said skyscraper heels (or giggle if they are not so graceful).If you think challenging our notion of impossible heights is as architectural as a shoe could be, check out these beauties...

Left to Right: John Galliano Spring 09 Collection, Photo of Burnham Pavilion, UN Studio by Christian Richters

The sculptural organic shape and iridescent colors of John Galliano's shoe could have been inspired by  Burnham Pavilion in Chicago's Millinieum Park designed by UN Studio.

 Left to Right: Working Ludens Shoe by SDesignUnit, OrganiCube by Chris Precht

If I was a woman who lived in a shoe, I would want it to be the Working Ludens Shoe by SDesignUnit. I imagine the interior would be sleek and white like the OrganicCube by Chris Precht.

Left to Right: Rotational Moulded Shoe by  Marloes Couture Shoes, Diagram of Burnham Pavilion by UN Studio  

Marloes Couture Shoes has architectural beauties galore (cantilevered shoes- what?!).  I had a hard time deciding which shoe to post. The crazy geometry and the "flyaway" spikes of this shoe also reminded me of the Burnham Pavilion by UN Studio. Hey, it's an inspirational design!

There were many more architectural shoes and inspirational buildings but sometimes I was given permission to use one image but not the other. Regardless, these links are definitely worth the click as the shoes and the architecture are truly inspiring.

The Conceptual Collection by Gil Carvalho call images of suspension bridges to mind. The V1 shoes reminds me of this Majori Sports Hall by Substance.  The heel of United Nude's Mobius Shoe was inspired by the frame of a Barcelona Chair but it could also have been influenced by the Harley Davidson Headquarters in Lane Cove by Tony Owens Partners.

Also, worth the click is Walking on Air by Eleanor Glover.