FN Shoe Star, Episode 9
Manolo says, and now the ninth episode of the FN Shoe Star is available for your viewing enjoyment. In this episode, the remaining five contestants are asked to produce the…. rocker-soled toning shoes?!?
Why should the peoples who run the FN Shoe Star stop there? Why not give each of the contestants the used steel-belted radial tire and ask them to make the Crocs knock offs?
In the first of the places, the Manolo is not convinced that simply walking around in the magic ugly shoes with the strange soles will make you fitter. (Although, now that the Manolo thinks about it, strapping the cinder blocks to the feets and clomping around all day would be quite the work out…perhaps the Manolo should seek the patent.)
And, in the second of the places, is this the contest to pick the next great young shoe designer, or is it the sort of fraternity initiation gone wrong?
“Pledges, you wish to be the shoe designers? First, chug the gallon of beer from the Sacred Boot of Manolo Blahnik. And now…you must make the stupid-looking shoe that only the dupes and the fools would wish to wear!”
Later, back in frat house dining room, Michael Atmore and the other upperclassmen, are having the good laugh.
This is the Manolo’s complaint: it is already difficult enough to make the beautiful shoes when you have unlimited access to the best materials and workmen. So, why place the unnatural constraints upon the designers, constraints which almost certainly guarantee the production of the ugly shoe?
Oh, right, it is because the American shoe-buying public is comprised mostly of the easily duped and the foolish.
FN Shoe Star peoples, let the Manolo help you…
“Designers, here is the pile of patent leather. Make the most beautiful patent leather flat you can imagine.”
See? That was easy, yes?
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Comments
g-dog 13 years ago
I can help you with the patent!
Boot Lover 13 years ago
Oh, come on, Manolo…that’s a bit harsh…there are a bunch of people walking around in toning shoes (not I, for one…but…) Let’s have a little compassion. Sometimes designers are posed with tough design assignments, so that’s what I guess these contestants are put up for the challenge..not an easy one (patent leather flats would be easy) so I guess that’s what the test is. Not an easy task, but I think a thoughtful one. Love your blogs…don’t get me wrong! Very curious to see what they come up with next!
Manolo the Shoeblogger 13 years ago
Yes, perhaps the Manolo was the bit harsh. But, in his favor, it was the truly annoying challenge: rocker-soled toning shoes?
Leah 13 years ago
I must agree with the Manolo. A good class assignment, perhaps, but for a design contest show a toning shoe challenge is pretty low on the entertainment scale. And I’m with Keena- what’s the connection between toner shoes and ballet dancers? Do they really think professional ballet dancers need MORE time working out their butts? It seems like a poorly thought out challenge.
Leah 13 years ago
Also, and this applies to all design contest shows, “unused leftover scraps” is not the same as recycled materials. Maybe I’m being picky, but it’s not like they had to tear apart jackets from goodwill to make these shoes.