Louis Vuitton has a case of the fug

From fragrance to apparel celebrities morphing into designers are hard to ignore. However, the Kanye West for Louis Vuittion sneakers are something we can't ignore, I tried.

Nothing says upper-class angst like bright colored designer high tops. These are so ugly, but that probably means they'll end up being cool and featured in magazines and music videos. This is just going to inflate West's ego even more. Hopefully his balloon head will float him back to his home planet before he can create any more fugly designs.
source.

Nordstrom's shoe sale - friend or foe?

Need a little retail therapy? Well, Nordstrom is having a shoe clearance! I know this is very difficult, our minds are screaming "Not in this economy!" while our feet and eyes are going gaga over some strapped styles.

But, watch out because it is a total money trap! One of those times where you'll go "I'll just browse," but spend way too much and try to make excuses for your purchases.

Proceed at your own risk!

I bet it's going to be fierce!

Here's a peek at the line the always fierce Christian Siriano is doing for Payless that we told you about last month. His collection of clutches, totes, and hot as hell (we hope!) shoes will range in price from $25 to $45 and will debut at his Bryant Park show on February 19.

As you can see from the sketch above, the line was inspired by Egyptian artifacts. "We started very high, very conceptual and very cool," he says. "I wanted it to be hard and rock-esque."

Our only request? We hope the shoes are comfortable. Both of us Pretties have had some bad experiences with cheaply made Payless heels.

Source

Covet thy Fluevog

Never will I ever see a more beautiful pair of boots as these at John Fluevog on Melrose.

Supple, leathery, deliciousness you can sink knee deep into.

Fluevog is the shoe master! Jimmy Choo and Louboutin are both nice, but they're that East Coasty hoity toity Parisian kind of nice that drains both the wallet and the wardrobe seasonally. Fluevog creates durable shoes that make you want to walk in LA. The heels are quirky, the leather is well selected, and his shoes look great with swimsuits. What more could you want?

Compare: Sarah Jessica Parker's cameltoes to Fluevog's Grand Nationals .

SJP = New York. Fluevog = one more reason to love LA!

Fluevog 7575 Melrose Ave, 90046

xx,
Kim

Sarah Jessica Parker's shoes have given me something to think about

It was such a relief for me last night after see all those horrible dog show shoes to see this pic of Sarah Jessica Parker on Faded Youth. Don't they look awesome? I love how they're the total right height of heel, and the buttons up the back are such a nice, subtle flair. I especially adore how she rolled up her skinny jeans to show these puppies off. They're casual yet sophisticated and they look comfy to boot. Oh I was all over these. So then I was horrified when I read Dlisted this morning and saw them from the front:

Ew! What's up with the cloven heel look? It looks so creepy!! You can bet Michael K was so excited to see some hoofs the celeb he famously nicknamed My Little Pony Parker. I think I'm just overreacting out of disappointment. I thought these were the perfect shoes, but after seeing them from the front, my feelings are very, very hurt.

It didn't take long to get the full skinny on these boots. Martin Margiela is the native Belgium designer who was this close to making these the most awesome boots ever until he had to get all weird and screw them up. Or so I thought.

The more I read about this guy, the more I like him. He's decided to not go the fame-whore Marc Jacobs route, but instead remain elusive: he's never had his picture taken, only contacts the media via fax and remains backstage at his fashion shows instead of doing that "come out and wave and kiss the star model on the hand" thing that they all do. He's worked for Jean Paul Gaultier, designed at Hermes, and has made a $1395 t-shirt. He doesn't put tags on his garments, opting instead to simply number them to show what line it's from.

And he made these, which are clearly the hottest shoes ever:


And now I think I'm into SJP's shoes. My conventional perceptions are being challenged and I'm liking it. How avant-guarde of me.

Stop by Maison Martin Margiela (9970 Santa Monica Blvd, Beverly Hills) and take a peek at the real thing!

xx,
N

Pictures via Splash.

Jimmy Choo shoe academies

Apparently, luxury shoe God Jimmy Choo is planning to open up several 'Couture Shoe Academies' with the first planned for Malaysia (his home country).

"It has to be well-planned and reputable. Once it is established, the academy can be licensed all over the world on the Jimmy Choo label," he said during a visit to Malaysia, according to the Star newspaper via Yahoo!

We wonder when one these Couture Shoe Academies will be popping up in the US. Hopefully Choo will choose LA over NYC.


Article via Yahoo!
Image via supermodels.nl

Shoes or a car? The $42k question

We already brought you some sizzling trends from Paris Couture Week. Another haute topic was a stunning pair of heels from Roger Vivier. The pair was created by Vivier's Creative Director Bruno Frisoni. According to Glamour the expensive footwear is "adorned with 24-carat gold mesh, encrusted with semi-precious stones, and finished off with silk chiffon, diamante, and crocodile skin. The pair above, called "Davima," feature real taxidermied birds with crystal heads.

The collection consists of six pairs of handmade shoes that take about two to three months to be crafted. And hey, if you're stressing on the price tag, consider this--the collection is called "One is Too," because each pair can be fastened onto a set of crocodile or snakeskin platforms that essentially create a whole other pair of shoes."
I'm sure PETA is already plotting against this fashion statement. This pair retails for about $42,000, the same price as a standard luxury vehicle. So would you rather walk or drive?

Photo courtesy of Roger Vivier.

Decades Two has sales for you

Set your alarms because Decades Two is having an ENORMOUS shoe sale tomorrow at 9am. Hundreds of high end shoes will be yours for the picking. Okay, it may still run you a few hundred for a pair of shoes, but they'll be haute styles for sure. So worth it!


The store has obviously added to their hours and even thrown some handbags into the mix. I'm sure serious bargain hunters will arrive before 9am, but the store is open til 6pm for this one day extravaganza. According to their blog, sexy styles will include Christian Louboutins (pictured velvet graffiti heels & cluth), Alaia's, Gianotti's etc.


FYI, to snatch up the goodies above you must come to the sale!

Decades Two 8214 Melrose Ave 90046

Yes, it does feel good to Payless

The so fetch and so fierce Christian Siriano is teaming up with Payless (yes, Payless) to create "Christian Siriano for Payless." This line will debut at New York Fashion Week (Spring '09) and be available to us all come Fall of '09. Prices will range from $25 - $49.

The giddy Siriano had this to say:

“I’m so excited to design and create with such an amazing brand that is all about fashion and trend but, most importantly, is also about affordability,” I’ve already been working with the Payless Design Team in New York, and I can’t wait to see how they will take the highend shoes and bags I’m designing for the runway and turn them into pieces that everyone can buy. I’m all about the runway and the sidewalks!”

Well,I'm thrilled that he's all about the sidewalks especially because he's based in New York (land of sidewalks and walking). All snarky remarks and Italian leather aside, I'm sure Christian's line is going to be fierce!

Shoe Porn!

Since the chilly weather is a novelty for us LA Pretties, I wanted to post up a link to iVillage's collection of boots These are not cheap and yes you will drool! Surprisingly a few of my favorites are made by L.A.M.B. and the other was Alexander McQueen. Which boots tickle your fancy?

above L.A.M.B and below Alexander McQueen

LA Gear is unstoppable!

Yes, we all had them, shoes that light up as you walk - pure magic! Well, trends always come full circle, the awesomeness has returned making nostalgia reality with LA Gear's re-launch of their "Unstoppable" line from 1989-1990. These kicks are in honor of the lines 20th anniversary and are available exclusively at sportie LA. The rad sports shoes are for cool kids who don't have time to be athletic. That doesn't matter because these shoes are too cool to play sports in anyways.
Their 24 year old Director of Specialty Products had this to say:

"It's now been 20 years since the shoes were on the market, so I figured it would be a great time to bring back the "Unstoppable" line. Not only do men and women my age finally get to experience these cool L.A. Gear shoes, but people who dug these styles - before they became extinct - now have a chance to rock them again."


The price of rockin' these gems isn't cheap - around $75 +.

sportie LA 7753 Melrose Ave, 90046 323-651-1553