Manolo says, here is the forthcoming book the Manolo can enthusiastically recommend, the Shoe-Fleur: A Footwear Fantasy by Michel Tcherevkoff. Here is the excerpt from the article about the book at the Apple.com site.

Although firmly rooted in make-believe, Tcherevkoff’s project was more than just a game. He applied the same exacting standards to “Shoe-Fleur” as he does to all his work, even electing to craft each invented shoe from a single variety of flower or plant.

“I decided early on that I wouldn’t mix different types,” he says. “Every shoe and handbag [most of the shoes in the book have matching purses] would be made from one particular plant or flower.” Tcherevkoff shot blossoms and stems, twisting and knotting and weaving and tying them to bring nature’s flora to heel as meticulously as a third-generation Italian cobbler.

And he listened. “Each plant spoke to me in a different voice. One was very light and delicate,” he says, “so the strap had to be thin. Another one said, ‘I am big and strong — I could walk for miles.’ From that I designed a more rugged shoe.”

“Shoe-Fleur” is organized into four collections, as is traditional for fashion shows: fall, spring, resort and bridal. “I used plants that were in season,” notes Tcherevkoff. “Now,” he says, “every time I look at a plant, I see a shoe.”

And the pictures are beautiful, are they not? The Manolo has already
pre-ordered his copy.