Mesmerizing Shoes
It goes without saying, but shoes, often overlooked, make or break every outfit. Until recently, I had neglected the power of the shoe to elevate or condemn my OOTD. Little did I realize that my shoe choice was setting the entire tone for my fits: wearing a mini dress with crisp white sneakers says something very different than pairing the dress with slimming cowboy boots or dainty kitten heels. Once I came to this realization, I began my (seemingly endless) hunt for the perfect shoes. While I love a good thrifted or vintage find, the internet is brimming with amazing independent shoe designers crafting beautiful wearable art. And, being the gate-opener that I am, I have compiled a list of five brands to follow for epic shoe finds (or simply for endless shoe inspiration).
Based in Beijing, GRAPE makes unique sandals, boots, and heels resembling blow-up versions of something Polly Pocket would have loved and adored. These shoes are bold, playful, and colorful, fitting seamlessly into the Y2K aesthetic that is currently very popular. I myself have been eyeing the Shiny Bear Printing Denim Platform Shoes “Magician.” Recently shoes that are plush, pillowy, and look like foam structures have been on the rise. These shoes fit seamlessly into this trend with their cloud-like silhouettes. At the same time, they are not overly trendy to the point where they run the risk of going out of style too quickly.
Clealee_qq shoes have been popping up all over my FYP for the past month, and every single time I see them I imagine prancing around the streets of NYC in them. This brand’s shoes are extremely unique; they combine telephone cords with shiny rubbers and mesmerizing metallics. All the shoes feel magically and enthrallingly futuristic. While I am not sure if they are available to purchase, I would highly recommend following this brand for endless shoe-ogling.
A more established and well-known Stockholm-based brand, Eytys shoes are creatively beautiful. Eytys began by making a single product: a minimalist, carefully crafted unisex platform sneaker. Today, they have sandals, boots, and sneakers for the stylish power dresser. I myself adore their pieces with ornate prickle details and thick rubber soles (check out the epic Fugu Sneakers).
Based in Florence, AVAVAV shoes perfectly walk the thin line between boundary-pushing and overly costumey. While the brand sells funky clothing such as printed pants and cut-out dresses, the finger-feet shoes are what make them stand out. Handmade in Italy using deadstock fabric and latex, these shoes seem like the updated, fashionable versions of the “toe shoes” everyone’s dad wore in the mid-2000s. Vibram walked so AVAVAV could run, it seems. These shoes are so playful, fun, and comical that I may or may not have entered my email in the “notify me” box on the website for size 8 green Finger Feet sandals.
Along the same lines as GRAPE, Forbitches makes plush and pillowy shoes that would not look out of place scattered throughout the entrance of Barbie’s Dream House. The colorful, Y2K-esque platform flip-flops are playful and child-like in the best way possible. And they are not overly expensive. Plus, they have matching puffy and bejeweled bags!