FASHION
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Sophia Webster is one designer confining embellishment to the heel this season, with a range of sleek black boots, some of which come with a leopard print heel of rose gold gems (£550, pictured middle right). Elsewhere, a trio of styles use clusters of amber, peach, baby blue and crystal (from £495, pictured bottom right) on different heel heights. “Another of my favourites comes in black velvet from Dolce & Gabbana with a beautifully embellished heel (£1,100, pictured top and far right),” says Smart. “It works well with the label’s richly printed pieces, or with a sharp tailored tux.” It is an otherwise plain style – black velvet insole, satin lining – if not for a crested button that sits on the toe plus myriad gold studs and pearly beads on its block heel.
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“There is something so decadent and sensual about the idea of evening boots”
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2/ Textural
s l u x u ry l o n d o n . c o. u k s
feeling
Cowboy chic no more: Ferragamo has stepped up the idea of fringing with the help of British talent Paul Andrew, its newly-appointed footwear design director. In 21st-century style, an ankle boot comes covered in glittering metallic Lurex yarn (£635, pictured left). Elsewhere at Christian Louboutin, a couture creation uses torn organza to create a matted cobweb effect. The technique, where strips are sewn onto a base of organza and then shredded with scissors, has taken the designer five years to perfect. “I wanted to work the organza in a way where it appeared as if the shredded pieces were sitting on the shoes, nearly about to take off with the wind,” Louboutin explains. “I imagined this in the same way the Thai people apply golden leaves on the Buddha’s statues in the temples. When the leaves move, it appears the Buddha is shivering.”
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