To celebrate the release of the live action version of the much-loved fairytale, Disney has rounded up some of the most influential luxury shoe designers to give Cinderella’s iconic glass slippers a well-deserved modern makeover. The brands involved in this exciting opportunity includes Jimmy Choo, Nicholas Kirkwood, Charlotte Olympia, Stuart Weitzman, Paul Andrew, Alexandre Birman, each putting their own luxurious and super chic spin on the design, complete with sparkle and shine.
The vice president and general manager for licensing for the Disney company, Jonathan Symington, has talked about the iconic glass slipper in a statement released about the upcoming collection. “Cinderella’s glass slipper has become a magical symbol of transformation. Each pair of shoes in this exciting global collection captures Cinderella’s elegance and grace through the lens of celebrated designers, making this shoe collection truly fit for a princess.”
Kate Moss for Stuart Weitzman, shot by Mario Testino
And if you’ve ever wanted your own pair of fairytale-inspired glass slippers, then you’re in luck – the finished masterpieces will be available to purchase from retailers such as Saks Fifth Avenue in the U.S., Harrods in London and Galeries Lafayette in Paris.
Jerome C. Rousseau Spring 2014 Campaign
“The tale of Cinderella is rich in romance and tradition thus the collaboration between Saks Fifth Avenue and Disney felt natural,” said Saks Fifth Avenue’s chief marketing and creative officer, Mark Briggs. “Saks aims to bring back the magic in retail, and what better way to celebrate than enchanting our customers with dazzling footwear fit to make any dream come true?”
Charlotte Olympia Cruise Collection campaign 2014
“Cinderella’s glass slipper represents every woman’s dream shoe,” said one of the designers, Paul Andrew. “The story, being a classic, inspired me to use my iconic pointed toe silhouette, which I embellished with an array of hand-encrusted Swarovski crystals to create the ultimate fantasy shoe. I used transparent PVC to create a ‘glass’ effect and ivory suede for luxurious texture and dimension.”
Paul Andrew’s design for his Cinderella slippers
Jimmy Choo’s creative director, Sandra Choi, has also spoken about her design for the project. “I think every girl desires a Cinderella moment in their lives. This story ignites a love affair and fascination with shoes that never dies. The power they have to transform is instilled from a young age and the fantasy remains alive forever. I wanted to create a shoe that felt magical, with alluring sparkle and a feminine, timeless silhouette evoking those childhood emotions.”
Jimmy Choo design
Stuart Weitzman created a sparkling stiletto bootie for the collection, saying “Cinderella in 2015 has a timeless appeal. The diamond and translucent bootie enhance the vision I have of her.”
Massimiliano Giornetti, the creative director for Salvatore Ferragamo, transformed a classic cap-toe with luxe Swarovski chrystals. “The magic of a shoe that turns a woman into a princess and gives her the feeling of walking on clouds is a universal dream. This shoe made of transparency and light: the cage heel, an iconic symbol of Salvatore Ferragamo, is covered with Swarovski crystals and is transformed by sparkling impalpability into a modern Cinderella fairytale of soft sensuality and a powerful femininity.”
Salvatore Ferragamo design
“Cinderella has both delicate and strong qualities as a character,” said Nicholas Kirkwood. “The moment of transformation emphasizes both and gave me the design inspiration to create a piece that spoke to the film’s magic.”
Nicholas Kirkwood’s design
Another participating designer, Jerome C. Rousseau, mixed sandals and stilettos for the collection. “The stroke of midnight is a wonderful element of the Cinderella fairytale; it adds tension and intensity to the story. I was inspired by that when I designed this style for Cinderella and the result is a dramatic midnight-blue glitter sandal on a sky-high heel. The clear strap is reminiscent of the crystal slipper, while the refined gold and silver trims add the right amount of whimsy to the design. I wanted to create something that, if left behind, the Prince would feel even more captivated by Cinderella’s allure.”
Alexandre Birman took his classic Johanna shape and gave it a Cinderella-esque transformation, saying “My vision of the glass slipper was inspired by the timeless and feminine beauty that I believe Cinderella and the Alexandre Birman brand both share. I reinterpreted our classic Johanna pump, this time giving it a fashionable and romantic twist with satin and Swarovski crystals. It’s a shoe I imagine a modern princess would wear.”
Alexandre Birman
“I am delighted and honoured to be invited by Disney to design one of the most iconic shoes in history,” said Charlotte Olympia, who gave her glass slipper a designer platform. “It was such a pleasure to create my version of Cinderella’s glass slipper, which I have aptly named If the Shoe Fits. This transparent platform shoe made with my signature PVC and Perspex materials is adorned with star and crystal detailing as befits any princess.”
Charlotte Olympia
And the last of the designers, Rene Caovilla, has made over the glass slipper with a wedge design and plenty of sparkle. “Works of art called shoes grant wishes and raise emotions. Passion and never-ending research don’t draw the line at fantasy and creativity. This is how dreams come true in our fairy tale.”
Rene Caovilla
The film will be released this year in March, coinciding with the purchase date of the lavish, modern Cinderella inspired designer heels. Starring in the film is Lily James, Cate Blanchett, Helena Bonham Carter and Richard Madden. The iconic glass slipper in this retelling of the classic fairytale was created by Swarovski under the direction of Sandy Powell, who is an Academy Award-winning costume designer. The lush crystal label also provided the crystals for the designers to use in their creations.
To read more about the world’s most famed shoe designers, check out Fashion Industry Broadcast’s Masters of Fashion Volume 35 Heels Part One and Part Two: Master Shoe Designers. Available on Amazon books.
Aleisha Gearside
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