Vivienne Westwood (British, b. 1941). Shoes, autumn/winter 1990. Hot pink crocodile-embossed patent leather. The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, Millia Davenport and Zipporah Fleisher Fund, 2006 (2006.14a, b).
A strategy of épater les bourgeois has informed much of Vivienne Westwood’s career. While many of her early collections were directly associated with the incendiary margins of street style and the London club scene, she also incorporated references to the louche world of the sex trade. The tongue-in-cheek coquettishness seen in her mini-crinis and padded bum skirts is amplified when worn with her signature high-heeled, platform-soled pumps. Originally designed in collaboration with the shoemaker Patrick Cox, the design was broadcast internationally when the model Naomi Campbell stumbled on the catwalk wearing a pair in purple. The Museum’s pair were designed for Westwood’s “Portrait” collection, and were worn by Jibby Beane, a former shop assistant and unofficial house model of Westwood’s. Beane met Westwood in the restrooms of the Designer and Decorators Exhibition in London in 1993. When they met, Beane, an ebullient bottle-blonde of the same age as Westwood, had just left a genteel marriage in suburbia. Tall and voluptuous, Beane became the mature embodiment of Westwood’s fashions. As Jane Mulvagh, author of Vivienne Westwood: An Unfashionable Life, has noted, “Her message was that life after fifty could be sexy and fun dressed in Westwood.”
December 30, 2007 at 11:04 am
They’re fantastic, but on the tacky side. You would have to wear ankle braces to prevent breaking.
December 30, 2007 at 11:05 am
i have come to the conclusion that fashion isn’t practical.
December 30, 2007 at 11:29 am
I love the pink snakeskin even though is on the tacky side. But you should have an ambuluance on call if yur gonna wear them
December 30, 2007 at 12:20 pm
Instant mental visuals? Jayne Mansfield. Transvestites. Divine. Sprained ankles. Sideshow freaks. Broken ankles. Venetian whores. Edo geishas. Basically, the hobbling of women to fashion. A visual delight? Yes. A structural and lifestyle failure? Definitely.
December 30, 2007 at 12:41 pm
wixcked cool
December 30, 2007 at 1:08 pm
Fantasticos zapatos, comparto la idea de que rememoran a Divas Del Travestismo. Fetiche en su maxima expresión. Pero es así mismo otra pieza que deja de lado al actor, que lo destruye (tal cual su nombre). Si Naomi no pudo con ellos, quien podría? El arte por encima de todos, de todo. La nueva pregunta es: el fetiche se transforma en arte o es el arte quien es visto como el nuevo fetiche?
Buenos Aires, Argentina.
December 30, 2007 at 2:20 pm
What Gloria Guinness says, but for structural and lifestyle failure? I’m not sure if Naomi Campbell’s falling out of the shoes is a sign of structural failure. It’s like a car falling off the Corniche. It can happen. And it all depends on your lifestyle. Perfect, as Ms. Guiness points out, for the Venetian whore, or the Westwood fancier.
December 30, 2007 at 3:59 pm
I’d be extremely cool wearing these shoes with my favorite dress in the collection - the Willa Cather/Sunday church number
December 30, 2007 at 4:03 pm
carmen miranda looked great in them; and she could aLSO DANCE IN THEM.
December 30, 2007 at 4:12 pm
These shoes require that one be carried about in a sedan chair. I, for one, would dearly love to see this mode of transport resurrected.
December 30, 2007 at 4:27 pm
I am 6 years old and I like these shoes. I would wear them but I am not sure they would be very comfortable.
December 30, 2007 at 4:37 pm
Poor Naomi, she will remember this creation FOR EVER…
December 30, 2007 at 7:15 pm
Whether one likes or dislikes Vivienne Westwood’s designs, we must all admit that she was well ahead of her time. I saw her retrospective show at the DeYoung Museum in San Francisco and found myself thinking, “I have seen this all before”. However, when I read the dates that the work had been produced I found myself in awe, for something that might depict the 1990’s trends where items influenced by clothing she’d produced almost a decade or more earlier!
I like the shoes. One can respond in disgust, however it appears that what is being responded to is the message the shoes convey more than anything else. The fact that you are responding negatively to the blatant sexuality only makes it more brilliant in my opinion for it reveals that Westwood was clear in her message. Get it?
December 30, 2007 at 7:18 pm
Hot, would wear. The leather and rounded toe keep them from looking hookerish.
December 31, 2007 at 5:19 am
YUK! tico-tacky. help I’m ffffaaaaallllliiiiiiiinnnggg!!! THUD!
December 31, 2007 at 2:21 pm
So amazing
December 31, 2007 at 2:46 pm
ugh wow that’s bright!
December 31, 2007 at 6:45 pm
These shoes are voluptousylly, like Vivienne. She´s the FASHION.
December 31, 2007 at 8:03 pm
I have a slightly higher pair of these (the super-elevated ghillie broges) in green and I can honestly say theyre not that hard to walk in! because the toe has a platform its just like wearing a normal heel, only a few inches elevated.
These arent the ones naomi wore, they were the super-elevated ghillie brogues in purple I think and alot higher! There were some fantastic variations too, I recommend the “Vivienne Westwood Shoes” book which is available on amazon.
January 1, 2008 at 10:51 am
I concur with the previous poster–having worn platform shoes of this height and even higher, they may appear hard to walk in but aren’t something crippling or dangerous. I used to wear Luichiny platforms twice this high to dance clubs for years! They take a little getting used to and, but are hardly something you need to be carried around in. Look out for uneven terrain and you’re set!
Thanks for this exhibit, i hope to get around to seeing it in person before it closes, but the blog opportunity in the interim is really a genius way to expand the viewership!
January 1, 2008 at 6:39 pm
Wow, there is something to be said about dying to be a fashionista–only a true fashionista would have been caught dead in those things!!
January 2, 2008 at 7:42 am
Westwood…was she the first to bring back the fetishistic platform? It’s a fantastic style and color, though not for everyone. I’d pay to work with people who dressed like this. [Sidebar: I found her bondage jeans…displayed in another window…at a consignment shop. They are quite comfortable and flattering. I thank the museum for revealing the fact that the leg opening is suppossed to be high…and I like the boot you put with it. I also had no idea the date was as early as 1977!]
January 2, 2008 at 11:37 am
Very creative but I would never wear any heels with that toe shape. Talk about blisters.
January 2, 2008 at 3:03 pm
poor or not Naomi is always Naomi!
January 2, 2008 at 3:06 pm
this shoes are famous for Naomi’s fall…i supposed!?
January 2, 2008 at 3:37 pm
Shocking and pink, probably very hard to walk in.
January 2, 2008 at 3:59 pm
Not made for any walking. Probably not designed by a woman.
January 2, 2008 at 4:50 pm
funky
January 2, 2008 at 7:29 pm
Although they are absolutley funky in every possible way, I can’t deny that they are pretty cool. These shoes are probably IMPOSSIBLE to walk in, and they are made of snake skin, which I can’t agree with, they’re pretty awsome.
January 2, 2008 at 7:32 pm
I like these shoes because you can’t find them in any store. They are different than other shoes. I proboly would wear them but they would have to go really well with what i’m wearing.
here’s a tip, not good walking shoes i think.
January 2, 2008 at 7:45 pm
Definitely hooker shoes. It was an instant reaction. I don’t even think they’re that great from a design perspective. Just because someone big makes something doesn’t mean it’s suitable for this kind of exhibit.
January 2, 2008 at 10:53 pm
I have been fascinated by fashion early on in life through films. As a young person coming of age in the early 80’s, Vivienne Westwood is the hallmark of what influenced my visual style and taste.
.
Those infamous purple platforms worn by Naomi Campbell is perhaps the most fashionable moment in the history of fashion presentations. As well as the mini-crini, corsets, and of course, the pirates.
Long Live Queen Vivienne, may you reign for a thousand years!
January 3, 2008 at 10:07 am
I also disagree with whoever said they werent great from a design perspective. All her shoes are quite genius and make you walk completely differently to any other ‘designer’ heels. They have a curve at the front too, if you look, so your feet kind of roll, its like walking on air and hers are actually some of the most comfortable shoes to wear Ive found.
This is just one variation she did in this style, there are sooo many in different colours, heights, materials and shapes.
There IS a kind of auto-irony in them, which is why I like them.
Cant wait for them to upload photos of the pink ballgown from A/W 05! one of my favourites.
January 3, 2008 at 1:04 pm
SHOES
January 3, 2008 at 1:15 pm
makes me feel 20 again!
January 3, 2008 at 2:46 pm
It totally sucks
January 4, 2008 at 1:25 pm
Those shoes come from the a/w 1990 collection of Vivienne Westwood : I remember tansvestites and drag queens were in fashion in the 90’s and posed frequently for magazines like Vogue and Glamour.
It is curious to see that in those years the aesthetic references for women were the illusion of feminity and female impersonation (when we think for example at the long-line bras with cone-shaped cups of Jean-Paul Gaultier worn by Madonna on her Blonde Ambition Tour). Women had to be inspired by men who dress in a female gender role with exagerated characteristics of feminity.
Such platform shoes are of course not really weareable, but they are very interesting and reveal a new perception of feminity. After the unisex trends of the 70’s they seemed to signify that women were allowed to reappropriate the codes of feminity and to exhibit them to the whole world without feeling guilty.
January 4, 2008 at 1:52 pm
Fashion is a big waste of time and money.
January 4, 2008 at 1:57 pm
I dragged my dad to this exhibit so I could waste his time and money in an attempt to give him some culture. Fashion is art for the streets. Our lives would be a lot less colorful without it!
January 4, 2008 at 3:28 pm
Its hard to look at shoes like these in 2008 without the mind slipping directly to drag queens. Perhaps Westwood would like that, though.
January 4, 2008 at 6:03 pm
OMG! Would totally wear these shoes…and wouldn’t fall!
January 4, 2008 at 6:06 pm
hooker much?
cute color, not for classy.
January 4, 2008 at 6:12 pm
they are for prostitutes.
January 5, 2008 at 12:05 pm
There’s only one word to describe these shoes: Scarey.
January 5, 2008 at 12:15 pm
i love them, except every time i see them i have visions of the spice girls . . .
January 5, 2008 at 1:10 pm
wow!
OMG they are a cool color and a high height.
January 5, 2008 at 5:11 pm
Why do you use phrases like “epater le bourgeouis” in a show intended for the general public? Can you honestly say you believe a reasonable percentage of visitors understand what this means? (Along with words like “dandiacal,” “necromantic,” and “retarditaire,” all of which I saw casually employed in texts for this show.) It screams of petty pretension, as if the curator putting this show together (perhaps self-conciously defending fashion as art worthy of display in a museum) is using huge words in order to rationalize/intellectualize what’s on display–or perhaps, even the existence of his/her department. In the future, please just tell us about the works of fashion we are seeing in clear, useful language that informs rather than condescends. I know it’s probably seen as educational, but I imagine most visitors find it alienating. I know I do–and I both studied art history and work in a museum. A museum whose name rhymes with “stoma.”
January 5, 2008 at 5:13 pm
I could not walk in these shoes!
January 5, 2008 at 5:23 pm
They are very flashy.
p.s.I think they would look good on my mom.
kidding!
January 6, 2008 at 12:07 pm
I think The pink SHOES looked Wierd and funny.
I AM 7 years old
January 6, 2008 at 1:16 pm
Those pink shoes shoes are very 70’s. They look like giant pieces of bubble gum and probably hurt your feet if you wear them. Gloria Bunker wore a piece like these in “All In The Family” in 1972
January 6, 2008 at 2:38 pm
JUST SHOES
January 6, 2008 at 2:45 pm
As the clothes became more modern they seemed to have less elegance.
I loved the red taffeta dress byMadame Gres(done in the 70s) I have to say that the Chanel Boots were my favorite shoes!
January 6, 2008 at 3:01 pm
these shoes are ugly
January 6, 2008 at 3:37 pm
I hate them!,there ugly!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
January 7, 2008 at 10:48 am
In a strange way, this entire comments section is a testament to how brilliant these shoes are, because they’re just that, SHOES. People debating shoes!
Only a handful of designers could take credit for making a pair of shoes controversial and infamous.
Personally, I love them. They’re whitty and, knowing Vivienne Westwood, completely ironic. They aren’t meant to be classy, or tasteful, or practical and once you let go of those expectations you can look at them as the purely silly and fabulously rediculous shoes that they are.
January 8, 2008 at 10:42 am
AHHH…hookers boots. so thats where i saw them
January 8, 2008 at 12:38 pm
they are freak and funny!!
January 8, 2008 at 3:30 pm
THEESE SHOES ARE MAJOR! THEY ARE EASY AND COMFORTABLE TO WALK IN , TO ALL THE DOUBTERS!
January 9, 2008 at 9:37 am
These hot pink, patent leather, crocodile skin shoes are cute and stylish. With those super high heels, these shoes will probably force you to wear an ankle brace so you don’t damage your ankle. I can definitely see these shoes being worn in the future.
January 9, 2008 at 9:37 am
These shoes have very high heels, but i think they have a very type of disco theme.
January 9, 2008 at 9:39 am
The pink shoes have very high heels and would be very hard to walk in.
January 9, 2008 at 9:40 am
I think these shoes are very hip and funky.They remind me of people from the 70s who danced in the streets.I cant imagine someone in 2008 wearing these shoes on a daily basis.If I had to wear these shoes all day for 24 hours,I think my feet would fall off.If Naomi Campbell,one of the best supermodels today wore them, and fell right on her bottom,I dot think a regular person could either. If someome does wear them,I think that they should have an ambulance on call…
January 9, 2008 at 3:30 pm
The color it’s great!
But, I don’t think someone wants to walk around the Metropolitan Art Museum with these pair!!!
January 9, 2008 at 4:59 pm
Omg ! I love them so much =)
If I have them, I will be the happiest man in the world ^^
January 10, 2008 at 11:13 am
It would take someone very strong willed to be able to walk in these, let alone dance in them!
January 11, 2008 at 3:40 pm
Hawt to trot
January 11, 2008 at 4:37 pm
Nobody wears flat-front any more.
January 11, 2008 at 5:16 pm
i think we should donate these to the spice girls
or someone should wear them to a spice girls concert….
anyways these are pretty cool….but would kill your ankles…
January 11, 2008 at 5:16 pm
What she was thinking when she designed this heels is beyond me. If anybody is able to walk in them, they are amazing.
January 12, 2008 at 4:14 pm
These shoes are funny, sexy and cruel at the same time. They are completely impractical and yet they are strong in their total “shoeness.”
January 12, 2008 at 4:25 pm
these shoes are soooo 70s. No one should ever wear these
January 12, 2008 at 4:50 pm
I think these are disgusting. My friend Jessa finds them very cute, she is not the brightest crayon in the box -_-
p.s. kyle thought this was ancient Egyptian art, WOW
January 12, 2008 at 5:11 pm
j’adore vivienne westwood!!
January 12, 2008 at 5:57 pm
I don’t consider myself a fashion expert. I’m a second year architecture student who hasn’t understood fashion, but wears it. However upon thought I think I don’t understand it because I’ve always wondered why it looks so overly non-programmatic. These shoes are a great example of that, they have no mechanical function to the anatomy of the leg. However their program (which I hadn’t realized) is more about aesthetics, culture and a certain visual satisfaction, which for some, like any fashion object, these shoes achieve through the evocation of the pornlike aesthetic.
January 12, 2008 at 7:21 pm
don’t these shoes belong to RuPaul?
January 12, 2008 at 7:28 pm
The orthopedic surgeon’s delight.
January 13, 2008 at 2:22 pm
Can I get these in a men’s 12?
January 13, 2008 at 4:56 pm
Ya gotta love Westwood’s comedic take on fashion. She doesn’t take herself or her design’s too seriously. Yet she manages to always allow her extrodinary talent to shine through. While she is typically noted for her sexy, over-the-top creations, she also manages to show a subtle, sophisticated approach to fashion as indicated in the gorgeous pink gown in this same exhibition.
British designers are so widely overlooked by the mainstream fashion industry. (The masses don’t show up for London Fashion Week the way they do for the shows in NY, Paris and Milan.) I like that this exhibit took the time to acknowledge their brillance. I did hope that there would be a broader scope of cultures included in the exhibit. The pieces by Alexander McQueen are noteworthy as well. But, there is a heavy respresentation of European and American designers. I would have really enjoyed viewing work from Eastern, African and non-White designers as well. Yeah, they do exist.
January 14, 2008 at 12:41 pm
Westwood was one of the first mainstream designers to capture a bored but wealthy audience who needed something new. Her audience wanted to look cool instead of pretty. These impractical, and yes - tacky, shoes are perfect tribute to the era and her customers.
January 14, 2008 at 7:11 pm
Poor Naomi… It was a tragic and magic Fashion moment for all the records…
January 15, 2008 at 2:13 pm
a little much
January 15, 2008 at 4:57 pm
They’re made out of snake.
January 17, 2008 at 3:12 pm
i like
January 17, 2008 at 3:20 pm
I love the juxtaposition of mixing sex with fashion. You almost imagine them being worn by a model dressed as a high class call girl in luxourious lingere and these shows walking down a runway with a crimson train.
January 18, 2008 at 12:07 pm
i love those pink shoes they are flasshy
January 19, 2008 at 11:49 am
The color flashes but in the olden days they had done them by hand to accesorise the work that has been done by the people who did it and polished it. It has over done the color of it.
January 19, 2008 at 1:19 pm
those are hott.
January 19, 2008 at 1:28 pm
Just drop this off on Scooby Doo!
January 19, 2008 at 4:40 pm
Two words: Baby Spice. Circa 94.
January 19, 2008 at 5:23 pm
Amazing…simply amazing.
January 19, 2008 at 7:30 pm
:-)!
January 19, 2008 at 7:41 pm
Stripperish, and intense. Definetly intense. Definetly.
January 19, 2008 at 7:45 pm
omg i have theseee
January 19, 2008 at 7:47 pm
Yes, Amber. “Two words: Baby Spice. Circa 94″. Totally.
January 20, 2008 at 7:01 am
A pink explosion with a fetish touch - these crazy shoes are typical for crazy Vivienne
January 20, 2008 at 1:29 pm
These are PERFECT for the campaign trail. They go over really big with my party.
January 20, 2008 at 1:41 pm
i like when they are so high.
they are so cool.
i love them.
they are asom
January 20, 2008 at 1:42 pm
i like the shoes when they are so high.
they are so cool.
they are so cool.
i love them.
they are awsome.
January 20, 2008 at 1:55 pm
Deez shoez r mad ugliez
January 20, 2008 at 2:30 pm
These are cool designs. I think they arent that bad.
January 20, 2008 at 2:31 pm
They are really Pink!
January 20, 2008 at 2:58 pm
Why do fashion designers waste their time on designs such as these? While much of what is seen in this exhibit can, at some level, be considered “art,” why is it considered fashion? Great fashion should inspire its viewer to a higher sense of creativity, stimulate the imagination, evoke a greater sensuality, or at an minimum inspire the viewer to look attractive or improve their own presentation. There is case that this may be considered artwork, but fashion……?
January 20, 2008 at 3:01 pm
These are ‘candy shoes’. They look a delicious peice of bubble gum, or a shiney jaw breaker. Great to look at, but I don’t think anybody could wear these with out ankle injuries.
January 20, 2008 at 3:20 pm
These look like disco shoes!
January 21, 2008 at 11:31 am
A little too high and a little too bright
January 24, 2008 at 12:37 pm
i adoreeeeeeeeeeeeeeee those. very victoria beckham.
January 24, 2008 at 1:21 pm
oh my god, shoes
January 24, 2008 at 2:26 pm
These shoes are not ment to be practical. This is simply a case of thinking outside the box for artistic purposes and wishing that fashion didn’t have to be so darn uncomfortable!
January 24, 2008 at 4:21 pm
Upon long consideration, I decided I love these shoes–not love at first sight, but a growing fondness. The color is genius–with red or chartreuse tights or even a pale pink. And they don’t look any more uncomfortable than today’s platform pumps. The platformed upper sole keeps the relative heel height, and thus the verticality of the foot at a minimum, and flat fronts are easier on the toes than points.
Pumps, in and of themselves, are difficult, though. I, like so many people, have feet of sufficiently different sizes that one shoe is always a little too big. I have to take my pumps to the shoe maker and design them into mary janes or ankle straps. Ankle straps for these, I think, if editorializing a designer’s finished work is allowed. I think that preserves the subversive quality, rather than taming them.
January 25, 2008 at 2:45 pm
these shoes are super cool i would wear them
January 25, 2008 at 2:47 pm
i really love these shoes. I don’t know if i would wear them but they are very cool and fashionable
January 26, 2008 at 7:06 pm
these are fabulous shoes!!
January 26, 2008 at 7:40 pm
Is this what society (and The Met) has become?
January 27, 2008 at 4:38 pm
On a separate note, and twisting threads to get back to those pink shoes, a neighbor just left me some shoes she promised me that she thought I’d like: red patent quarter-strap open toe sandals with a 2 1/2 inch platform sole and a 6 inch heel. Unfortunately, they’re in size 5! I don’t go to quite such heights with shoes, but this lady often admires what I wear, and she’s an artist too, and I think she bought the shoes because they were cool to look at, not because she would ever wear them. She’s more of an earth shoes sort of person. They’re not Westwood. They’re some cheap fetish brand she picked up in Florida. You have to go really luxe to get away with a 6-inch heel without looking like a fetish shoe, it seems to me, and the Westwood shoes are definitely not fetish shoes.
January 28, 2008 at 11:06 am
PINK is my favorite color. If these were really popular and my friends wore them, I would wear them!!!! JK!! The material used was very interesting and they are so cool looking!!!!
P.S. Is that comment really from Miley Cyrus? Reply if so!!!!
January 30, 2008 at 9:00 pm
This shoes are fabulous. A real piece of art. The woman must feel fabulous wearing them. I was suppressed to see how well-worn they were. Someone must really love the shoes (it is hard to imagine that the owner didn’t have other shoes to wear) and they must be pretty comfortable. Mid-nightblue cocktail dress wouldcomplement the shoes. I can see Carrie Bradshaw running on the streets of Manhattan in this shoes.
January 31, 2008 at 10:45 am
these shoes are so hot, i would wear them myself , if they were black.
January 31, 2008 at 4:48 pm
I thought that these pink platforms by Vivienne Westwood were really cool. They looked like something from the 60’s but I was shocked to find out they were actually made in the 1990’s. I really thought that these shoes looked funcky and hip at the same time. Even though I would never wear them, I could see how they could be considered high fashion and used in fashion shows at that time.
February 1, 2008 at 2:04 pm
magnificos
February 1, 2008 at 4:09 pm
Looks like my shoes from the seventies!!
February 1, 2008 at 4:41 pm
These shoes exude sex-appeal, eccentricity, confidence and absolute luxury! I saw them in person at the Vivienne Westwood Exhibit in SF a number of months ago… I was trying to figure out a way to get them in my handbag …
February 1, 2008 at 5:26 pm
its so SPICE GIRL ishhhhh .. sooo 5 years ago ! jajaja
February 1, 2008 at 5:26 pm
FLASH BACK… SPICE GIIRLS!
February 2, 2008 at 12:20 pm
I LOVE the opink snakeskin, though on a patent platform it looks a bit tacky. the fabric would make for a fabulous bag though!
February 2, 2008 at 1:14 pm
These shoes are so cute…way past cute: A-dorable!!
February 2, 2008 at 1:45 pm
I am extremely fond of these shoes. They are pink (my favorite color), for one thing, and they are extravagent! I would definetly wear these shoes on a special occasion!
February 2, 2008 at 2:15 pm
I love these shoes they are really nice, I like the color of them t oo. that kind of pink is one of my favorite colors.
February 2, 2008 at 2:35 pm
Seems like something I would wear
. They don’t seem that unstable.
February 2, 2008 at 4:55 pm
They are really cool! I’ve never seen shoes like that! It’s really interesting to see that because no one really makes shoes like that. Annie Roo likes the color because it is very PINK! It looks kind of like a snake skin? .
February 3, 2008 at 10:29 am
I really like the shoes they are so 1970’s but it was made in the 1990’s and they are fabulous!
February 3, 2008 at 10:35 am
At first sight of these shoes I judged that they were made in the ’70s but I was tricked and they were actually made in the unexpected time of 1990
February 3, 2008 at 12:38 pm
These are so fun! I can’t imagine wearing them, but I think that the color is flashy and out there. Very disco-ish and cool.
February 3, 2008 at 4:53 pm
they’re totes fab,
but also totes inapprops.
poor naomi—good thing she didnt wear these during community service!!!
February 4, 2008 at 12:25 am
Out of all the marvelous pieces I saw at the exhibit I will never forget these. What a 5th graders dream? These capture the early nineties retro disco way and would be a great compliment to a belly top and sequin mini-skirt. I truly think someday these will be back in style and we will wonder to ourselves how girls walk in them (even though we did in the early nineties) I just think these are a classic…like high heels on steroids. I think they will be burned in my mind forever as the heels I would love to own but be slightly embarrassed to wear.
February 4, 2008 at 1:30 pm
I love everything Vivienne Westwood; so, why not this piece, too? Everything about the shoes: the style, the color, the structure, the texture, makes a statement. In a way, the shoes, presumably being worn by a female, elevate her in more than just the physical world. She’s seen as something much more than a woman wearing outlandishly loud shoes. She, herself, is now making a statement, a powerful one to which the average joe must pay attention.
Where am I going with all of this?
I just think that the shoes make more of a statement than people think. There’s a covert power in the design of these shoes-gaudy, bulky, over the top, but nonetheless incredibly feminine, as most people correlate the color PINK with women. The shoes tell us that a woman can be both, powerful AND feminine, which is the statement I presume most women who WOULD wear these shoes would want to project.
February 4, 2008 at 1:40 pm
I love everything Vivienne Westwood; so, why not this piece, too? Everything about the shoes: the style, the color, the structure, the texture, makes a statement. In a way, the shoes, presumably being worn by a female, elevate her in more than just the physical world. She’s seen as something much more than a woman wearing outlandishly loud shoes. She, herself, is now making a statement, a powerful one to which the average joe must pay attention.
Where am I going with all of this?
I just think that the shoes make more of a statement than people think. There’s a covert power in the design of these shoes-gaudy, bulky, over the top, but nonetheless incredibly feminine, as most people correlate the color PINK with women. The shoes tell us that a woman can be both, powerful AND feminine, which is the statement I presume most women who WOULD wear these shoes would want to project..
February 4, 2008 at 1:59 pm
I thought that these shoes were very fashion savvy and represent an era of time. The shoe is a great color and makes a statement in itself. The platform has come back into fashion so many times just at different levels. The wedge shoe is today’s platform.
February 4, 2008 at 5:58 pm
Vivienne Westwood shoes autumn/winter 1990. Her hot pink crocodile-embosses patent leather shoes are outrageously high heel shoes. Famous model Naomi Campbell tripped on the catwalk wearing a purple pair. If supermodel Naomi Campbell cannot walk in these heels, then who can? I loved them because they caught my eye and they remind me of high fashion.
February 4, 2008 at 9:30 pm
These boots were not made for walking! Even though I would never pick them out to wear I do love the pink snakeskin. The height of the heels are very rare today, but snakeskin is very prevalent. These shoes prove two points: beauty is pain and fashion is not always practical!
February 4, 2008 at 10:05 pm
Vivienne Westwood is and will always be my favorite designer. I absolutely love her daring ways of exploiting the sensitivities of others, but beautifully. These shoes as so comic, and quaint, but wonderful at the same time. I can just see these paired with a mini crinoline.
February 4, 2008 at 11:47 pm
I love the shoes but I could never wear them. I would break my ankle even before I walked out of my house. I suppose thats why they are in the museum.
February 5, 2008 at 1:21 am
When browsing the exhibit, these shoes caught my eye immediately. Overall, a very ‘fun’ shoe! Not to mention the color and construction are amazing. The only other additional thought that I have is, NO WONDER NAOMI FELL!!!
February 5, 2008 at 10:04 am
After seeing these shoes it made total sense that Viviene Westwood designed these, it just fits in so perfectly with her crazy style.
February 5, 2008 at 1:34 pm
I really enjoyed seeing these. Naomi’s fall instantly came to mind. They are loud, unpractical and flashy. It is a perfect example of Viviene’s style. The spice girls also come to mind, but these shoes have a unique shape and are not your typical platform. They are also constructed well.
February 5, 2008 at 6:58 pm
After reading several of the posts at the beginning of this blog, I couldn’t help but laughing at all of the comments about hookers, transvestites, and sprained ankles. But the creativity and originality that Vivienne Westwood brought to the table when creating these marvelous shoes is what makes her the legendary designer that she is. Although they have a special time and place, these shoes are so exciting and just like Mulvagh noted in her book, these shoes could make a 20 year old woman AND a 60 year old woman feel unbelievably sexy!
February 8, 2008 at 4:40 pm
loves it.
February 8, 2008 at 4:43 pm
coming here was an excellent experience.
February 8, 2008 at 4:49 pm
so amazing…
February 8, 2008 at 4:50 pm
most of the things weren’t wearable, but thought the hot pink stripper shoes were the most up to date but a bit dramatic.
February 9, 2008 at 4:01 pm
SOOO COOL - they need to bring these hot pairs back!!
February 10, 2008 at 12:03 pm
These shoes are big but pretty and I think that many people would like to wear them.
Kallie Age 9
February 10, 2008 at 4:14 pm
Fabulous! They remind me of Divine and of drag queens.
February 11, 2008 at 2:22 pm
hey i like these shoes do u??
February 11, 2008 at 2:37 pm
now this is my type of shoe because it’s pink which is my favorite color and i love high hile shoe’s
February 12, 2008 at 11:19 am
these shoes are FIT!
February 12, 2008 at 12:10 pm
THOSE PUMPS ARE SOOOOOOO HOT. I would wear them! I LOVE that they’re pink, since pink is me all time FAVORITE COLOR. You should have more unique stuff like that. XOXOXOXO
February 12, 2008 at 1:35 pm
they are wonderful, for the world! i want to bhy them, but i am to youg…
but they are great, super, i like the color
February 12, 2008 at 4:17 pm
So the Met embraces Web 2.0, but is it a meaningful interaction or just lip service to distant cultural trends? How does my comment truly affect this exhibition?
February 13, 2008 at 1:16 pm
simply divine !
February 14, 2008 at 12:49 pm
brilliant my favoureite was the hair made out of hat!i spent a full hour here without realisation!its amazing!
February 14, 2008 at 5:13 pm
Oh la la love Vivienne!
February 15, 2008 at 7:03 pm
there is only one way to describes these shoes… ~FABULOUS~
February 16, 2008 at 11:27 am
awesome job westwood
February 16, 2008 at 2:56 pm
I love pink and these shoes I`ll totaly wear these any day.
February 16, 2008 at 3:52 pm
wierd punk shoes.
February 16, 2008 at 4:37 pm
These shoes are really cool and cute.I would wear them.
February 16, 2008 at 4:39 pm
deez are hott
February 17, 2008 at 10:54 am
How do you walk?
February 17, 2008 at 12:20 pm
ifthe SPICE GIRLS wore this then I WOULD MOST DEFINITLY wear them! They are sooo pretty and glamorous, they also make women’s legs look miiiiles longer and thinner. They require a certain personality type , but if you want to make-over your personality, then these heels would be Perfect!!!!!!!!!!!!! The idea here is to EXPAND your “repitoi” and try these bad girls out!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
February 17, 2008 at 12:22 pm
These boots are AMAZZZZ
you should supply them IN EVERY STORE ON THE _______ PLANET
SPICEY GIRLS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
February 17, 2008 at 12:41 pm
These shoes are hideous.
February 17, 2008 at 12:51 pm
i love them they are so sexy
February 17, 2008 at 3:32 pm
These are fabulous, and I can’t help but think poorly of anyone who thinks otherwise. I would wear them in a hot minute. A pity the previous owner’s feet were clearly too big…
February 17, 2008 at 3:34 pm
Wow! They certainly pop! I would wear them, as long as I didn’t fall!
February 18, 2008 at 1:26 pm
these shoes remind me of something that the Twisted Sisters would wear.
February 18, 2008 at 2:00 pm
I love the shoes even though if i walked in them i’d probably die.
February 18, 2008 at 2:30 pm
My legs are tired…these shoes don’t help…T_T
February 18, 2008 at 6:27 pm
I don’t think any one could walk around in these for more than a couple minutes! The look so heavy and clunky! Reminds me of Spice Girlssssss
February 19, 2008 at 11:18 am
I adore the hot pink color of these crocodile skin shoes! She has done a stunning job. The hidden platform at the bottom has come back into style. I think they are gorgeous!
February 19, 2008 at 11:24 am
When I first saw these shoes i first thought I wonder what htose would feel like if you wore them but then I thought they are so awesome and really good looking
February 19, 2008 at 12:15 pm
hahaha those shoes are awsome but my legs look tired just looking at them! as people have said, gooo spice girls!
February 19, 2008 at 1:53 pm
These pink snake shoes are perfect for the fashion world. Not really my type but these shoes are deffinetly fashion foward.
February 19, 2008 at 1:56 pm
i would really wear these shoes if they had them in mY size “15″. a boy could really show his stuff off and believe me me I got lots of stuff.
February 19, 2008 at 2:22 pm
how tall are they!?!
February 19, 2008 at 3:16 pm
What’s the meaning of zeitgeist?
Thank you.
February 20, 2008 at 1:20 pm
At a time of hyperventilating consumerism these defiantly transgressive shoes shout “Take that, bourgeois scum!”
But who are the bourgeois scum? Those who design these shoes? Those who make them? Those who sell them? Those who buy them? Those who wear them? Those who exhibit them? Those who view them? Or those who write about them?
Perhaps there is enough complicity to go around.
February 20, 2008 at 1:33 pm
The spice girls would be so proud…
just saw them in concert at madison square, and they still are wearing these shoes! I LOVE THEM SO MUCH… WE NEED MORE OF THESE IN THE STORES.
February 20, 2008 at 3:10 pm
These shoes are hot but that look like they are from the 60’s or 70’s, but I would wear them
February 21, 2008 at 11:24 am
the polka doted shoes were very colorful… they would match any outfit….. they are different…. i am not any art person but they are definatly HOT!
February 21, 2008 at 12:19 pm
these shoes are so cool!!!!!! they look like future shoes. i would wear them on halloween. i like them
February 21, 2008 at 12:22 pm
These boots are so different than anything else in blog.mode:addressing fashion. In a way they sort of look like the polka-dot boots.
February 21, 2008 at 2:23 pm
I love the dress, but i don’t like what it is made of.I have long black hair and if she/he made me cut my hair i would DIE.I want to see shoes made of hair and a dress too.
February 21, 2008 at 4:45 pm
wow! i love these shoes! pink is my favourite colour! i have purple platform boots a bit like that but i dont wear them that much because they are very big.
February 22, 2008 at 1:06 pm
Does anyone else hear legally Blonde?
I do.
I don’t wear tiese types of things, but they are surely noticeable
February 22, 2008 at 3:39 pm
HAHA THEY’RE GREAT!
VERY ABBA…
I WOULDN’T MIND A PAIR OF MY OWN IF I’M HONEST
SUCH A GREAT LOT OF CLOTHES, LOVE IT
February 22, 2008 at 4:10 pm
LOVE IT , BUUT ARE THEY COMFORTABLE??
THIS CLOTHES ARE GREATT
February 22, 2008 at 6:09 pm
These boots are a little too high for me. But, if you like high heels then… GO FOR IT!
February 23, 2008 at 12:04 pm
these shoes are awsome they’re a little 80’s but the 80’s are back baby
February 23, 2008 at 3:27 pm
Very Barbie but stylin!
February 24, 2008 at 12:56 pm
So cute
February 24, 2008 at 3:21 pm
Those shoes are the ugliest thing I saw in a while. Where is her sens of proportion, her feeling for dimensions? Maybe she have had a lot of humor while designing it…
February 27, 2008 at 10:24 am
These shoes are fabulous! I need a pair stat.
February 29, 2008 at 10:09 am
For the turn of the decade, where shoulder-pads and neon colors of the 80’s were beginning to subside to the beginning of a more minimalist approach that was richer in color, these Vivienne Westwood shoes, though for the purpose of the fashion show, seem as though they are back tracking as opposed to being fashion forward. Westwood IS known for her bold and daring statements, so these hot pink snakeskin shoes don’t come as much of a surprise.
March 1, 2008 at 1:06 pm
These hot pink leather platform pumps are a revival of the past. They remind me of a pair of shoes I would have found in a store window during the 1960s. I do not think i would be able to walk in these shoes but they are a accessory to have in ones wardrobe. For a halloween party of a dress of party of any kind would serve these pumps justice but I do not think the general public would take well to these shoes today. Maybe if we were in Vegas in a casino and I was a show girl, I would use these pair of pumps everyday,but not in my everyday life.
March 1, 2008 at 5:45 pm
Looks like they would hurt to walk in but hey, maybe if you fell, some handsome man would pick you up and offer to buy you dinner as he carried you in his strong muscular tan arms to the emergency room. How Romantic!
Haha, I’m sure this was Vivianne Westwood’s, one of the foremost designer of punk fashion, underlying and true intentions.
March 2, 2008 at 11:05 am
are there really hot pink alligators or are they dyed???
March 2, 2008 at 2:55 pm
These shoos are pink. The heels are high.
March 5, 2008 at 2:33 pm
one word: pain.
THESE scream “I’M A PROSTITUTE!”
totally unpractical, i dont get it.
March 7, 2008 at 11:45 am
these shoes are a little to high in my opinion but they are cute. i’d so wear them if i lived when those were in style i love them.
March 7, 2008 at 11:46 am
i would look sooooo hot in that!!!
March 7, 2008 at 7:10 pm
awww.. the shoes that made Niaome fall ;-(
March 8, 2008 at 10:08 am
Westwood is a geneous! These shoes are fabulous!
March 8, 2008 at 2:22 pm
It would be great to try these on.Also,these designers should make clothes for the
Oscars.
March 8, 2008 at 3:10 pm
These shoes conjure up many personal and dark images o fboth who we are publicly and behind closed doors… They are not only a statement an individuals confidence and self awareness yet a distinct sub culture
March 8, 2008 at 8:35 pm
why?
March 9, 2008 at 3:31 pm
Idont know what to think, at first I thought “wow” and then I thought the Spice Girls….. Im undecided
March 11, 2008 at 11:41 am
Love the pink…but you would have to wear ankle braces in oreder to prevent breaking.
March 11, 2008 at 2:33 pm
It would take a true girly girl to wear these. I would totally wear them. Anyone want to pay my medical bill after wearing these shoes? they kinda remind me of the cher show. Don’t you think so?
March 12, 2008 at 11:55 am
I believe High Heels should be banned. They cause much too much damage to the feet of “usually” women. They also are another symbol of female objectification.
March 12, 2008 at 11:57 am
Very barbie-ish! I like them and think they are sort of bizarre and painful looking!
March 13, 2008 at 11:47 am
THE GOOD PART IS THEY ARE PINK!!!!!!!!
March 14, 2008 at 11:41 am
I LOVE LOVE LOVE the color pink! It is my favorite color! These shoes are soo beastly and the bomb.com! I wish I lived back then to be able to wear these shoes! It would definatly make me look tall and look good with a mini skirt!j
March 14, 2008 at 6:55 pm
can you say PORN STAR?
March 14, 2008 at 7:08 pm
Totaly moi!!
March 16, 2008 at 12:36 pm
March 16, 2008 at 12:42 pm
these shoes are fun and peppy and i love them
!!!!!!
March 16, 2008 at 3:42 pm
Vivienne Westwood’s heels are so often this high, so I knew they were hers the minute I saw them at the exhibit. They are loud and they have a very disco elegance that I find to be somewhat charming.
March 17, 2008 at 9:56 pm
Retro back to the early 1970s. . .Imagine walking from East 3rd and 82nd to East 57th and Park . . . Yep . . . Shoes just like these were stylish and I walked and walkd and walked in ‘em. . . In the 70s you didn’t have cross trainers. So at the end of a busy day you just walked in your work shoes .. . Glad those days are over. . . These shoes make your legs look beautiful but don’t walk in them like I did.. . Ouch. . .
March 19, 2008 at 10:21 am
WOW!!!!!
March 19, 2008 at 10:21 am
All the stuff here is so amazing!! i cant believe all of this stuff was once used or worn!! its jus so amazing and awsome!!!
March 19, 2008 at 12:21 pm
The shoes were fabulous in their design. The above negative comments due not surprise me. The individuals that I listened to make comments during the exhibit appeared to be completely void of any sense of fashion or style. My recommendation…A little couture is good for the soul.
March 19, 2008 at 12:24 pm
Though many would think it would be hard to wear these shoes they were ment as a fabulous colecters item, not to be worn.
March 20, 2008 at 3:46 pm
wonderful shoes beautiful ,sexy and cruel..^^;
March 20, 2008 at 8:55 pm
These pumps are a true masterpiece. I am not kidding you guys.
March 20, 2008 at 10:36 pm
These shoes were not made for walking. But who cares: they’re wonderful.
March 21, 2008 at 8:06 am
Very fatastic shoes. But I can’t wear walking
March 21, 2008 at 10:14 am
I love pink! OMG, so funky!
March 21, 2008 at 11:33 am
love them!!!!!
March 21, 2008 at 11:54 am
Hmmm. what’s so great about that big massive “sole”? Not exactly elegant on skinny legs. Plus, where’s the uniqueness? Things like that exist since forever and the shape looks like it’s a third price winner at the Tirana shoe convention in 1981!
March 22, 2008 at 9:33 am
Hi!!we are in New York for a week….it`s beautiful!!Wonderful!!!!!this museum too…!!!byebye Giulia Virginia!!!
March 22, 2008 at 10:32 am
EW EW AND TRIPLE EW!!!!! XP
March 22, 2008 at 1:20 pm
HAHA! these shoes are hotttt!
March 22, 2008 at 2:36 pm
these shoes are amazing! who cares if u cant walk?
March 22, 2008 at 4:20 pm
What distinguishes the difference between 9th Avenue Sex Shop window and featured museum display? I would guess that it is the person who created it but to follow that train of thought would make it true that if Galliano crapped on a plate it would be more inspired than the homeless person on 8th ave who has truly refined his crap into art
March 22, 2008 at 6:28 pm
These shoes are totaly awesome!! they look like they were made out of leather. how were they turned pink? that remains the question… but i have these shoes at home and they are really comfortable. its actually easy to walk in them. but they are wickedly HOTTTT!!!!!!
March 22, 2008 at 6:32 pm
these shoes are awesome. but i would never wear them would u????
March 25, 2008 at 9:33 am
I would definetly want to wear this. They would match my pink dress that I recently wore to eat. Thank you so much for showing this shoes. You made my day. Now im not affraid to show who I am.
March 27, 2008 at 11:29 am
wow, those shoes are…. HIP!!!! I just hope i wouldnt trip…..
BBBBBBBBBBAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! enjoy the muesum!
March 27, 2008 at 1:40 pm
These shoes are totally perfect for a 60s disco night! They kinda look like those shoes that are called platform shoes. Oooh they are so cool!!!!!!!!!!!
March 28, 2008 at 10:07 am
This is just incredible. i love these shoes !!!
they are so pink and irrestible
March 28, 2008 at 1:33 pm
omg all these garmets (spelling?) are all amazing
i love it
March 28, 2008 at 1:34 pm
ok so all these peices are cute and some things youn caan even wear in todays soctioty it is so inspiring
March 28, 2008 at 1:44 pm
although they are high and bright they are a brilliant design!
i want a pair for me please!!
March 29, 2008 at 11:14 am
Talk about HIGH HEALS, these shoes are totaly awesome. Did she make other pairs? I would totaly wear them, I wonder what her flats would look like? What if she could make heals for NYC (with no blisters) as soon as i saw these shoes i was like “i need to get me a pair of these”
March 29, 2008 at 1:53 pm
What a shoes! Very lovely and pink!:D
(The Netherlands)
March 30, 2008 at 9:02 am
hello
March 30, 2008 at 9:03 am
I love these shoes their sooo vintage! But i wonder how they walked in them ! x
March 30, 2008 at 9:05 am
hey guys, we’re from birmingham in England.
The dresses are quality and perfection.
March 30, 2008 at 9:07 am
J’adore these shoes!
Would wear them clubbing =].. would hurt after a bit though tbf.
March 30, 2008 at 12:26 pm
they look straight out of “Legally Blonde”
March 30, 2008 at 3:09 pm
hot sike. poor her because she has to wear the all day
March 31, 2008 at 10:51 pm
My first reaction to these shoes was Wow, what a shame it is that these shoes are hardly functional! I’m afraid that if I owned them, they would just end up wasting away in my closet because I would never be able to wear them. I’m glad that they are in an exhibition because they truly are art!
April 1, 2008 at 11:18 am
These shoes are 100% 80’s Disco! Whoever said looking great hurts must have worn these shoes (just kidding!) but they do look they if you walk in them it’ll hurt!
April 1, 2008 at 12:49 pm
These boots are hot Pink.
April 2, 2008 at 9:41 am
ohhhh myy gawd! these are the hottest shoes ever and i would ToTaLlY wear them all the time…lyk even to bed! LoLz. i am def coming back 2 this museum exhibit lyk ASAP. hearts and giggles <3
April 2, 2008 at 12:24 pm
i would fall in these shoes instantly and shatter my ankles.
April 2, 2008 at 1:31 pm
unwearable but arresting…love westwood
maybe i could wear them sitting down…
April 4, 2008 at 1:34 pm
Being a doctor, i don’t feel that these shoes are beneficial to the health of the tarsels, metatarsels, and hollox. In fact, i am sure that anyone who wears these is in for a very painful, sudden death. If you know anyone who owns these shoes, please, please tell them to dispose of them immediately in the rubbish room.
April 5, 2008 at 10:10 am
i like the shoes ( :
they’re pretty
beast!!
4/6/08
April 5, 2008 at 10:11 am
those are cute and party time shoes! i love shoes! those shows especially. those shoes are adorable. =]
April 6, 2008 at 9:20 am
woooowww seeexxxaaayyyy!!
=)
April 6, 2008 at 12:12 pm
This is the most amazing exhibit I have ever seen in my life!!!!!! I think that this dress is as amazing as the whole exhibit!:)
April 6, 2008 at 1:03 pm
Can you say RETRO much?
April 9, 2008 at 12:23 pm
i love these shoes! they are very cute but they would be painful but they are very mode.beatiful layout and design though whoever made these is a true fashion artist.
maria
age 12
from florida
April 9, 2008 at 12:37 pm
it’s all elegant, I couldn’t choose wich my favorite is!!!! AWSOME!!!
April 10, 2008 at 3:44 pm
I would not last two seconds in these shoes, because the heels are SO tall, but the color is interesting.
April 12, 2008 at 9:14 am
my prom shoes.
April 12, 2008 at 10:50 am
These are horrible they’re so tacky.
April 12, 2008 at 12:52 pm
I think some one could hurt themselves in those.
April 12, 2008 at 12:57 pm
I like these shoes because they are pink and have alligator texture. The heels give great height and their animated styling reminds me of my Bratz dolls.
April 13, 2008 at 1:40 pm
WOWWWW!!! these shoess are so hott. i would totally wear them to a prom or a banquet. they are totally in style and they will be a fashion icon, in the fashion world for a very long time. i loved seeing these in this exibit!!!!!
April 13, 2008 at 2:55 pm
With short guys (like me) around, its seems hardly fair women would have the option to wear these spectacular shoes.