Shoe Showmeister Returns

>> The return of shoe designer/couturier Benoit Méléard has been talked up in various places (Dazed, Vogue.com) but I've not seen these particular specimens out and about yet - the outre showpieces that in a way connects with what Méléard has done in the past. If you don't know the name, the shoes will come to you through past collections when he was designing for the likes of Alexander McQueen, Helmut Lang and Jeremy Scott.  In 1997, he then launched his own collection of experimental shoes, thus being the first to give his shoes their own catwalk show.  More commercial collections came along but a quick Google search mostly yields his more out there designs that I suppose added early impetus to the editorial shoe extremes that the likes of Nicholas Kirkwood and Atalanta Weller both indulged in at the beginning of their careers.  His website ain't up but a return has arriveth with his S/S 11 collection entitled 'Manifest'.

The collection is mainly a tribute to American shoe designer Beth Levine (designed under her husband's name Herbert Levine), another experimental shoe forefigure, who that isn't widely known unless you've happed upon her pieces through exhibitions, even though she's often referred to as 'The First Lady of American Shoe Design'.  Her signature elastic straight line is taken from the inside of the heel and moved to run down the front of the foot by Méléard which is all tastefully referential, but the only thing I'm taking away from this comeback collection is the fact that he has used a great deal of grey jersey.  Me thinks it's also grey marl.  Grey.  Marl.  Jersey.  How did this escape me when I first looked at this collection?  Perhaps it was the bright shade of grey.  Perhaps it was how taut the jersey has been pulled into shape of the shoe.  The realisation has now dawned on me and specifically these chunky specimens below will need to try and make the arduous journey from a random stockist somewhere (let's hope stores have taken note of Méléard's return to business...) into the centre of the grey jersey drawer that I kowtow to on a daily basis...

Going back to a Beth Levine-related note though, I was particularly fascinated by her Kabuki shoe, first designed in 1959 and re-issued in various colours and fabrics thereafter.  It also cleverly slots into the Japanese-inspired slant that many shoes decided to take in their various twists and turns for S/S 11 (Chanel, Acne, Kenzo are just a few that come to mind...) and its simplicity of form is startlingly relevant.  Ebay probably isn't going to be my friend and neither is vintage sizing (Levine had size 35 feet!) but I'll be on the look out for any Herbert Levine labels out there from now on...