2014 Boot Roundup

It's a great time to be a boot fetishist (if you are one, you probably already know this) as designers are putting sexy designs into the marketplace with great regularity nowadays. Every season a fresh crop of new ideas and innovative styles pop up that push the boundaries of materials and technique even further than before. And they don't shy away from blatant, sexy S&M styling. 

All strapped up YSLs.

I'm interested not only for the fetish angle, but the design details as well. I always get inspiration for features that could be integrated into leather craft designs or bondage gear. To me shoes are the ultimate design challenge: make something beautiful but functional, completely impractical but totally sellable. Especially for the high-end brands, shoes are one place where selling the fantasy can over ride the rational part of your brain. Nobody needs a pair of 5-inch stiletto boots, but just look at them! Do we want them? Yes, we do! 

 The concept of what a designer would call negative space is a hot trend. Openings that allow the skin of the leg or foot to show through create an interplay of enclosure/exposure. Lots of designs seem to take advantage of laser-cutting techniques - a relatively recent innovation in shoe design. I'm also seeing some interesting things with woven leather (as in the Bailmans below), and almost architectural design elements (Daniele Michetti). Hand work has always been a part of shoe making, and the high end is bringing an almost craft aesthetic to some of their designs. 

Straps are happening everywhere, ranging from subtle contrasting-finish (patent on chrome-tanned leather in that subtle strap on the top of the Ballins), to the add-on almost harness look that is popping up (see the Emilio Puccis). The combination of lacing with additional straps just screams bondage to me, but hey I do see things a bit differently I suppose. 

Brian Atwood's designs are covering a lot of creative angles in use of different textures and materials to create contrast, all the while maintaing that sexy silhouette, and in a range of heights.

And finally Gucci this year had an incredible pair of boots on the runway: these skin-tight super tall beauties in black patent. 

I love the little detail of the horsebit hardware and loafer-style false front on the upper. The fit on the leg is incredible! 

 Unfortunately, by the time these hit the stores the design had been toned down a bit and they didn't fit nearly as close as the runway version. But at least they left us with these beautiful and inspiring photos.