I've always liked Nicholas Kirkwood. It has been love since the beginning, in 2003, when as a new St. Martin's College graduate he was creating shoes mainly with vintage shapes. I recently had the chance to get one pair of his first collection, but I generously gave it to Romina (che non mi ha ancora detto se le vanno bene!!!), sure she would have love it.
Since then, the shapes, the materials, the inspiration, the overall style, have changed and changed, and now Nicholas pieces could be considered as design work of art, deserving to be put in design museums instead of shoe closets.In the days I was home (last week), I got to know that, as part of a special project from Alta Roma, the Italian institution dedicated to supporting the country's fashion industry, the designer (who only recently won critical acclaim at the Vogue Italia "Who's Next" accessories design awards) has created a shoe inspired by Turineses designer Carlo Mollino.
Turineses? REALLY??....I mean: Nicholas Kirkwood recognising the works of probably the most famous architect of my city! (not really know anywhere else, probably, if not by architecture and design people)
I was more than surprised when I red it, especially because Mollino was interested in a variety of topics, that were as outrageous as his art, such as design, architecture, the occult, and race cars, but no fashion at all and no shoes. So, when Kirkwood explained "I took inspiration from the Cavour writing desk Mr. Mollino made from Zanotta", I had the need to see...
Here we have the desk:
Mr. Kirkwood escuses himself saying "Throughout his industrial design work, Carlo Mollino frequently used a wood, glass and fabric, so the shoe is a direct reference to table. The Cavour table features a balance between heaviness and lightness - a beautiful asymmetrical balance. It's strong visually swooping shape, similar to the shoe that I created for the event."
Personally I will take a shoe designed from something other than a table. There's no grace, flow, beauty, femininity. Aren't they elements to covet in a shoe? If we wear heels it is to look and feel beautiful and not like we are clumping around on a tabletop. I understand that these are extreme and they are conceptual and they are pure design and...and...and..., but so is Couture and, honestly again, I will think a lot before being inspired by tables when it comes to my shoes.
