Well Heeled: Great Moments in Western Footwear

Think uncomfortable height enhancers are a new phenomena? Think again...

Chopines, 1518

Introduced by Turkish traders, chopines became popular among European women from the 1400s through the mid-1600s. An early sign of the West’s borderline masochistic relationship with footwear, chopines towered seven to thirty inches off the ground depending on the wearer’s nobility. The platform shoes were so awkward, a cane or servant was needed to help women get around.

Sun King Sees Red, 1710

Throughout 17th and 18th century Europe, heels were symbols of wealth and social status for both men and women. Legendary fashion plate King Louis XIV of France added even more prestige to by enacting a law stating that only those within his court could wear red colored heels.

On the Down Low, 1799-1850

The decades following the French Revolution were a literal low-point in heel history. Long a symbol of the flippant extravagance of the aristocracy, it would be another fifty years before it shed those negative connotations.

Chic Again, 1890

Heels began their comeback in the mid-1800s. Daring high heeled boots were especially were especially popular in Parisian nightclubs where the Can-Can gave dancers plenty of opportunity to show off their legs.

America Catches On,  1923

Heels became a permanent part of mainstream American culture at the turn of 20th century thanks in part to the influence of two widely different groups of women. Suffragettes wore them to undermine the theory that equality could only be gained at the sacrifice of femininity. Fun-loving flappers on the other hand, saw them as the perfect additions to their increasingly risqué wardrobes.

Hollywood Heels, 1938

In the midst of the Great Depression and World War II, Americans spent what little free time they had at the movies. The glamorous stories coming from Hollywood served as a much-needed escape and audiences lived vicariously through the characters they saw on the screen. As a result, stars were outfitted with lavish costumes from head-to-toe. Designers like Salvatore Ferragamo and Andre Perugia were allowed to let their imaginations run wild; some of the most creative heels were made during this era.

The Dagger, 1953

During the war, women were left to take over jobs previously held by their brothers, husbands, etc. Their expanded roles expanded their wardrobes to include more practical items like pants and other menswear inspired garments. Once the war ended and men returned, emphasis was placed on returning to traditional gender roles. Fashion followed suit with designs like the New Look that played up the female form.

In 1951 a new shoe style entered the market that actually enhanced this hourglass shape. Standing atop the high, thin heel of a stiletto (Italian for “dagger”) causes one’s chest and hips to slightly poke out. Over half a century later, the stiletto’s sex symbol status has only deepened.

Boys Do It Too, 1970s

The 1970s saw the reunion of men and high heels, a trend that had not been seen in almost two hundred years. Thanks to icons like Cher, Elton John and David, both genders could be found plodding around in extravagant 7-inch platforms.

Top Model Takedown, 1993

The mid-Nineties were marked by a resurges of a number of 1970s styles, including platforms (among girls only this time). Dame Vivienne Westwood was one of the first to foresee this trend, as is evidenced by her infamous 1993 Anglomania fashion show. It was there that she sent Naomi Campbell out onto the catwalk in a pair of ridiculously high “Super-elevated Ghillies” platform shoes. Though she tried valiantly, not even an uber-model like Campbell could handle a shoe as outrageous as the Ghillie.

Dangerous Road Ahead, 2008

Fashionable feet never have it easy, but Spring 2009 looks to be especially torturous. From the ankle breaking height of the Prada platforms to Aminaka Wilmont’s bondage inspired “sole-less” shoe (below), just looking at upcoming styles hurts.

Roberto Capucci: "Givenchy of Rome"

A fashion prodigy praised by no less than Christian Dior, Roberto Capucci was/is one of the most inventive designers in history. He may not be as well known as his contemporaries, but as the recent Spring 2009 collections have shown, Capucci remains a source of inspiration.

Born in Rome, Italy on December 2 1930, Roberto Capucci burst on the fashion scene as a twenty year old boy wonder. Upon graduating from Rome’s prestigious Accademia delle Belle Arti in 1950, he went to work for pioneering designer Emilio Shuberth. There his styles caught the eye of a Florentine businessman who decided to include a group of Capucci’s garments at an upcoming fashion show.  The other couturiers, jealous and intimidated by the unknown upstart, banned him from the runway to prevent being outshined. News of this catty maneuver and the brilliance of its victim quickly spread; the next day the press demanded to see Capucci’s creations. The beautiful gowns immediately sold out and a star was born.  Riding the success of his unofficial debut, he opened his own house that very year and would continue to make his presence felt at Italy’s most distinguished fashion shows until his retirement in 1980.

Calling his designs a “study in form,” Capucci’s work has always had an architectural quality that rejects the traditional silhouette. Using his mastery of textiles, color, and cut, he manipulates fabric to create gravity defying sculptural forms. His designs reject the constraint of what is momentarily fashionable, choosing instead to make items he feels are eternally beautiful - regardless of the era or setting.

Capucci’s years in art school and his interaction with Rome’s young avant-garde clearly had an early and obvious effect on his iconoclastic style. One can see his admiration for the Italian Futurists in the geometric lines and planes at play in his designs and in his use of color to add dimension and visual effects. Perhaps the most prominent characteristic passed on from the Futurists, is the strong sense of movement and dynamism in Capucci gowns. For some garments, it is as if a gust of wind has suddenly swept through, engulfing the wearer in whirls of silk and taffeta. Others give the sense that you are look at them from a moving car, the colors a blur.

In a rare interview, Capucci proclaimed “Nature is my mentor” and this sentiment is clearly evident. From undulating hemlines that echo the ocean’s waves to the meticulous recreation of swirling rose petals, Capucci pays tribute to his muse in almost every collection.

Uncomfortable with the financial pressure and the self-promotion that is inherent in the fashion industry, Capucci resigned from full-time duties in 1980. He continues to design, but approaches his work from an artistic standpoint free of the business constraints of the industry. Capucci’s transition has been very successful and his art has been exhibited in respected museums across the world. He has made sporadic returns, the most recent in 2007 to design the official uniforms of India’s Jet Airways.

Sources:

http://www.fragrancex.com/products/_bid_Roberto--Capucci-am-cid_perfume-am-lid_R__brand_history.html

http://www.answers.com/topic/roberto-capucci-1?cat=biz-fin