The Balenciaga Sportiletto
Manolo says, all of the Manolo’s friends have been emailing the Manolo with the link to this article in the Sun, which expresses outrage about the childishly colorful and futuristic Balenciaga sandal.
THE season’s fashion must-have is a £700 shoe that would be more at home in a toy shop.
The Sportiletto, from a top designer, is a Lego-like high-heel.
The footwear is said to be influenced by snowboarders, but the real inspiration for the crazy child-like design seems to have come from 1980s kiddie favourite the Fisher-Price 1-2-3 Rollerskate.
[…]
Models on the catwalk look bizarre as they wear thick grey tights and jodhpurs to model the Sportiletto. The shoes are designed by Nicolas Ghesquiere for fashion house Balenciaga. Unbelievably, there are already orders waiting at top London stores.
To those who follow the fashion blogs this is the old news, indeed many of the Manolo’s internet friends were reacting as early as March to the appearance of these sheos on the catwalk. Of the course, back then they were still priced at the exorbitant $4175, not the more reasonable £700.
As for the Manolo’s opinion, which has been repeatedly solicited, the Manolo must say that he finds them amusing, in the sort of fun and silly way, and thinks that they could worn to good advantage by the right super fantastic girl.
Certainly, they are not for everyone, and the girl who wears them would have to be young and sporty, as they would look ridiculous on the more mature person.
Also, the Manolo has to say that he much prefers this colorful version of the shoe to the others produced by Balenciaga in the same Fall ‘07 collection.
And even this black sandal shown above (next to it’s possible design inspiration) is preferable to the bootie version below.
This, the Manolo does not like.
Yes, this is the unusual shoe, however the Manolo does not reject it out of hand as he thinks it is the worthy experiment, one that is not the complete failure.
September 12th, 2007 at 11:30 am
Oh, I think these shoes would be good for those Russan high-heel races.
September 12th, 2007 at 12:11 pm
Shoe porn for Borg girlies.
September 12th, 2007 at 12:19 pm
I love these shoes. I’d buy a pair and I’d wear the hell out of them.
Which is odd, considering most of my shoes are flats and I’ve never worn a heel this high in my life. I’m rarely drawn to high heels, but these shoes are fantastic. Super fantastic.
September 12th, 2007 at 1:14 pm
I can see these shoes being a lot of fun for the right super fantastic girl.
September 12th, 2007 at 2:15 pm
I can see Victoria Beckham wearing them :-)
September 12th, 2007 at 2:42 pm
These would look absolutely smashing with the Louis Vuitton frankenbag.
September 12th, 2007 at 5:57 pm
I don’t know that I would get them but I embrace the insanity!
Luv
Poochie
http://www.shoedaydreams.com
September 12th, 2007 at 5:59 pm
Manolo, I am shocked! I look to you for guidance and benevolent wisdom as to the silly and the not so silly shoe. THIS IS A SILLY SHOE! What were they thinking sewing a cheap looking sneaker - like upper to a ridiculously high heel, they are just an abomination. The only reason young girls could wear them is because they pretty much look good in anything.
September 12th, 2007 at 6:46 pm
[…] LINK […]
September 12th, 2007 at 8:23 pm
Steee-RIKE !
September 12th, 2007 at 11:38 pm
I just want to know what it transforms INTO, is all.
September 12th, 2007 at 11:38 pm
Balenciaga?
I would have thought the Memphis Design Group.
Hmmph.
September 13th, 2007 at 12:09 am
I would absolutely wear them - I saw the snowboarding influence right away. I love snowboarding, and I love hot stilettos. Por que no?
September 13th, 2007 at 2:38 am
This is a do-it-yourself opportunity. Buy a pair of simple spike heels, then go to the dumpster outside a running shoe factory. Using an Exacto knife, deconstruct the trash and glue it onto your shoe. Voila!
If you are really daring or really crafty, use the knife on the shoe as well. Basta.
September 13th, 2007 at 1:03 pm
[…] de photos qui font peur sur le blog de Manolo Libellés: balenciaga, chaussures, couture, fashion, mode Lire la […]
September 13th, 2007 at 3:01 pm
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September 14th, 2007 at 8:48 pm
raincoaster: LOL…I was wondering when they were came out with a female Transformer…because those look like there is more than meets the eye.
September 15th, 2007 at 9:10 pm
I adore the multi-coloured Balenciaga lego-shoe! It is sexy & robotic & fun & playful all at once. It would look fantastic on the end of a long leg in black stockings. If I could get my hands on a pair, I would wear them all the time… possibly even to bed.
October 4th, 2007 at 2:13 pm
[…] Nina-Garcia-Fashion-Editor-For-Elle-Magazine. She was walking into her hotel, and she was wearing these shoes. I never would have thought she was the sportiletto type, or even much the Balenciaga type — to […]
October 7th, 2007 at 5:32 am
The Balenciaga Sportiletto, Lego face a possible infringment case from Whalespit Industries L.L.c over the use of W.I.L.L. C.s “reinforced shoe device”