Editor’s note: Mari Rodriguez Ichaso has been a contributor to Vanidades magazine for decades. She is a fashion, travel, gastronomy, art, architecture and entertainment specialist, film producer and style columnist for CNN en Español. The opinions expressed in this column are solely his own.
(CNN Spanish) — Women – and many men too – live by the love of shoes. Is reality. We are equally fascinated, loved and attracted by heels, sandals and boots. And, because the world is the world, and throughout history, people are absolutely fascinated by shoes.
And if you go to a museum that has a department of the history of clothing, you will see that there are shoes from the 16th, 17th, 18th and 19th centuries, with the most charming designs, very fancy, with heels, with shiny fabrics and buckles. – Worn by both men and women. And although they look rather heavy and uncomfortable, these characters sacrificed themselves to be fashionable, and with them they walked through the long corridors of those great palaces and castles. For example, King Louis XIV of France was a big fan of high-heeled shoes, as was Queen Marie Antoinette, who owned countless pairs of beautiful pastel colors.
(Credit: Mari Rodriguez Ichaso)
And after reading and viewing many photos of the fabulous book “The Cult of Heels: Exceptional Talents in Shoe Design” (“The Cult of Heels: Exceptional Talents in Shoe Design”), the coffee table style is indispensable for lovers of luxury shoes and its history written by a famous Peruvian fashion designer journalist Ursula Carranza, I am aware of the enormous talents of Hispanic origin who have contributed (and continue to contribute!) to this vital part of the fashion industry. And I have read that in addition to famous Latin American designers who stand out, such as Spaniard Manolo Blahnik, Colombian Edgardo Osorio of the Aquazzura brand, and Puerto Rican Edmundo Castillo, designer of Stuart Weitzman, there are a number of extremely talented designers in Latin America that they are in serious competition
Highly successful creators such as Adriana Epelboim-Levi, designer of Alepel de Venezuela (whose sneakers are worn by celebrities such as Camila Cabello and Ariel Winter); Andrea Gomez from Venezuela (who has some highly coveted models); Flor de María Rivera by Peruvian brand Flor de María (a favorite of many celebrities such as Kylie Jenner, Megan Fox and Jenna Ortega); Jessica Butrich from Peru (super creative, fun and high quality shoes); Laura Cepeda by L. Cepeda from Colombia (inspired by the culture and colors of the Caribbean); and the very sophisticated Adriana Abascal, designer at Maison Skorpios de México based in Paris.
(Credit: Mari Rodriguez Ichaso)
This shoe no doubt makes us feel much more attractive, taller, leaner and with more “presence”. There is an almost magical thing about wearing shoes that make us feel good! Remember, they were once quite boring, brown, black, beige or white, but today they come in all colors of the rainbow, all kinds of shapes and styles. Think Louboutin red soles, Ferragamo crazy designs, Versace pumps, YSL, Fendi. A very exciting world!
Also – and this is important – there is always a “backward” in the design of shoes. And now we wear shoes like those big platform heels from the 70s called slingbacks and the sandals and clear vinyl shoes that were all the rage in the 50s and they’re back! That is why it is very difficult for people to throw away or give away their shoes, because every day the one that was worn for a long time is used more.
(Credit: Mari Rodriguez Ichaso)
The same goes for boots. When hip-length models by Stuart Weitzman, designed by Puerto Rican Edmundo Castillo, appeared, they were worn by all the models in the world. And now these boots are back in fashion. And during Beyoncé’s world tour again, Stuart Weitzman (along with Castillo) designed the stunning boots that the singer wears on the show. They might have been the same 30 years ago, but now they come in vibrant colors and glitter.
In short, we are fascinated by shoes, especially those fantasy shoes in which we look great and are full of self-confidence. Like the protagonists of great adventures!