Here you see the two pairs of shoes from the Roberto Cavalli, shoes which properly capture the Robert Cavalli aesthetic, which the Manolo might describe as “Long Island Russian Mafia Gun Moll”.

And yet, for all of that, the Manolo finds these shoes “almost”. Almost worth wearing. Almost beautiful. Almost super fantastic.

The problem is that the Manolo, who believes that true fashion lies on the border between the trashy and the classic, thinks that these shoes are located just across the fashionable border into the land of the trashy, which means these shoes are “almost”.

Of the course, this tendency to keep adding the junk to the shoes until they seem too much is not merely the major draw back of the Roberto Cavalli., it is also undoubtedly his greatest selling point, making his shoes perfectly suited for the flashy and unsophisticated market he has captured.

Do not get the Manolo wrong, the Roberto Cavalli is talented, it is just that he needs to be restrained.

Look here is the picture of the Cavalli at the Costume Institue Gala.

Clearly, this is not the celebrity endorsement which the more sensitive designer would be happy to have.

Update: The Manolo’s internet friend Nicole disagrees.