The cruise collections - or pre season

I, for one, really look forward to the cruise collections, when I'm sitting six inches from the radiator and its frosty outside, its a little lift to the soul to see summery styles, especially brightly coloured sandals like this cute Givency flat sandal. Tip for Summer 09 from me- brights like this bubblegum pink are going to be key! Source: http://www.net-a-porter.com

On Shoes excellent website

I've always loved Sugar shoes, I had something like four or five pairs of the funky floral boots that they are known for. These are an excellent winter version of. They remind me of the boots that Hong Kong teenagers wear, the kind of boots I have spent literally hours traipsing around the street markets of said city to find, but they never had them in my size! Finally I've found them on a UK website.

Us shoe designers really rate Vibram soles, they are the hardest wearing of all - as I sit here typing this - I'm wearing my Merrel sheepskin boots with yup, Vibram soles. I saw these vibram mentalist shoes in Italy last summer, had no idea you could get them here. I reckon they'd be great for boating - I won't fall off the gunwhates when I wear these babies!

Go here http://www.onshoes.com/

http://www.homeys.co.uk/

So what have we been up to over the past year?

http://www.shudoo.co.uk/shop/jumbuck/

I'm back!

I had a crazy busy work season of AW09 and we are now only just coming up for air!

You-hoo wannabee like me hee?

If you really wanna be like me - then now is your chance. Fashion Fringe are running a competition for wanabee shoe designers to work alongside Rupert Sanderson and develop their own line. Closing date is 13th June 2008

Go here: http://www.fashionfringe.co.uk/

Pointless patents?

Do we really need wifi shoes? I find that using a mobile phone or laptops instead avoids embarrasment. Brings a new meaning to the term; shoe gazing.

http://www.tfot.info/pod/1177/a-step-in-the-right-direction.html

I know consumers have too much cvhoice but this is daft. please stop.

Haworth 1940's weekend.

Haworth is a pretty little Yorkshire Village, famous for the Bronte Sisters and it's steam railway. Every May they hold a 1940's weekend, anyone can go, you are encouraged to dress up and there are vintage clothes for sale, tea dances to go to and vintage vehicles to admire. I took my camera and spent more time looking at shoes than at anything else.


Check these beauties out.......

and here she is on the right, her friend had cute wedges too........

Above:

Not a bad try but rumbled by her mobile phone!

Radio Newcastle Interview

Did an interview with Radio Newcastle this morning about high heels. All of us shoe designers are being 'wheeled out' to talk about shoes, because of the Sex and The City Film.

I admitted to not being a wearer of high heels (high heels and boats don't really go, seeing as I spend so much time on my boat, I never wear high heels), but I didn't admit in the interview to not being able to stand Sex and The City! I CAN'T BEAR IT!!

This week

I spent the early part of the week in the North of England. Following my visit to Portobello and Alfies I put together some storyboards for a client and travelled to Manchester to present them on Monday. So that was another weekend working which has to be done when it's busy like this!

I'm now back in London, sketching platform shoes for someone else.

March and April are the busiest time of the year for us, I had to take yesterday off because I had eye strain - my right eye has gone all bloodshot. You can look at too many shoes folks, it is possible!

Turkish Shops

I love the Turkish Owned grocery shops of London, I especially love the photographically printed vinyls they sell. Very kitsch. Very fabulous....

Vintage markets

I spent yesterday doing the vintage markets in London. I'm making storyboards for a new client and I haven't been to Portobello for a while. As is traditional, as always when I go out into the wide world to do my research, it was terrible weather. No rain, but bitterly cold.

As I was buying shoes on a stall in Portobello, the stall almost blew away, the tarp behaving like a big sail!

After Portobello I went to my most favouritist vintage market, Alfies.
http://www.alfiesantiques.com/ This is a brilliant, brilliant place to pick up anything cool and vintage - I especially like The Girl Can't Help It, owned by the aptly named and pin up proportioned Sparkle Moore

Anyway, I came back with lots of shoes.... my haul is above. In front of my traditional canalboat wood bucket. Family heirloom that wood bucket, perhaps some of the shoes I bought are as old as that bucket, I dunno...

Homeys on soccer am!

The Homey - which I helped Dan to create was featured on soccer am this morning! Fantastic -

to get your very own pair of Homeys, visit Dans' website

http://www.homeys.biz/homeysworld.html

pics from http://www.hypebeast.com/2008/02/homeys-slippers

but first of all, make yourself a cuppa. You deserve it.

Good Evening and Welcome!

Welcome to my shoe design blog - hope you enjoy reading it

Lots of love (and shoes)

Shoenista