Reflecting Rio
The American footwear market must have Brazil on the brain—or vice versa: The Spring ’11 runway presentations in the southern hemisphere highlighted shoes in the same vein as many of the early-spring styles that cropped up at this week’s FFANY show. Here, three focuses for the forthcoming summer, and the looks to top them off. —Leslie Shiers
Love (Luv)
noun, verb
1. A profoundly tender, passionate affection for another
Military themes march right into the next season, thanks to an onslaught of thick canvas, leather straps and a reemergence of camouflage. In 2011, however, the look relaxes through girlish attributes—i.e. major height, stiletto heels and extra embellishments like the grommets, charms and other spruced-up insignia we spotted at market. Teca took to Rio’s runway with no-nonsense canvas and leather platform booties that coordinated with sheer olive-green dresses and offset flirty floral creations.
Sandals Get the Boot
Forget the plain, old flip-flop. Rather than aim for bareness, sandals will offer more substantial coverage for Spring ’11. Call it the summer boot hybrid (or, as one FFANY exhibitor coined it, a “hooded” sandal): a thong or open-toe style with an upper that extends up to the ankle. This silhouette was the go-to for Juliana Jabour’s show, which featured peep-toe booties and flat sandals in rich and juicy red, green and yellow, and also landed in many FFANY brands’ showrooms.
Menswear With a Twist
The mannish oxfords on the market now get feminized for the season to come via slimmer silhouettes, higher heels, mixed materials (think patents and even floral fabrics) and options beyond basic black and brown. In Rio, Isabela Capeto’s flouncy ready-to-wear collection got a lift with a wedge version in juicy brights—think primary red and blue—plus metallic panels for gold-medal ensembles.
