When The Shoe Fits

By Nick Foulkes | NEWSWEEK
Published May 23, 2009
From the magazine issue dated Jun 1, 2009

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  • Posted By: westwingpotus @ 05/26/2009 3:58:03 PM

    I'd really appreciate it if you would amend your article to say "For women who are empty, shallow, and incredibly stupid suckers, just hearing the name Jimmy Choo...". It's a far more accurate statement as any human being that spends $800 on a pair of shoes in order to feel better about themselves is seriously psychologically damanged and needs therapy, not celebration.

    • Posted By: Pia1981 @ 05/27/2009 3:42:42 PM

      westwing-your comment is very unfair. If a woman can afford these shoes, why not? I only purchased one pair of my Manolos. The other pair was a gift from a friend.

      • Posted By: westwingpotus @ 05/27/2009 8:10:09 PM

        It's not a matter of affording. You've earned the money and it's yours to spend as you please. Whether you have a spare $50 or a spare $5000, it's a personal choice.

        But is it a smart personal choice?

        People buy extreme luxury designer items like $1200 shoes for only two main reasons: To feel better and more special about themselves and to preen in front of other people. And while that's a little pathetic, it's still their money.

        But what you're not buying is quality and workmanship:

        http://www.smh.com.au/executive-style/style/why-we-should-just-say-no-to-designer-labels-20090518-bb0f.html

        I am perplexed that otherwise smart women fall for "designer" makes me a better person. Yes, the designer industry spends a fortune telling you this, but I'm perplexed as to why educated, smart women buy into it so completely. I am perplexed why people will actually pay a designer to be a walking billboard, shouldn't it be the other way around. I am mostly perplexed as to why someone would pay that much and not also expect better quality.

        I'm not against a fair profit. But the MASSIVE profits generated by the designer industry are little different than the massive profits generated by any other corporation. If you think the execs at Jimmy Choo are somehow different than the execs at AIG, you're wrong. You may think you're buying quality, you're not. You may think there's cache, but there isn't. Once you've done a little research, you'd know this. Get this book from your library:
        http://www.amazon.com/Deluxe-How-Luxury-Lost-Luster/dp/1594201293/ref=cm_cr_pr_product_top

        In the end, it's a personal choice. It's your money. Enjoy your shoes. But if I need to feel better about myself, I'll wear a $75 pair of shoes and send the other $1000 bucks to Doctors without Borders.

  • Posted By: stkschw @ 05/26/2009 8:48:57 AM

    Dropping names of dead celebrities doesn't make me care about Tuczek shoes. How is my heartrate affected by any shoe and how are a group of Belgians helping you make the point that we should care?

    • Posted By: Pia1981 @ 05/27/2009 3:43:27 PM

      Ditto, stkschw.

  • Posted By: Pia1981 @ 05/27/2009 3:41:14 PM

    I own two pair of Manolos and rarely wear them. They're very uncomfortable. They're nothing but eye candy.

  • Posted By: wildechild66 @ 05/25/2009 7:02:20 PM

    Is there anyone in the world of women's shoes who considers their work as much of an art as these men do?

  • Posted By: 025059 @ 05/25/2009 2:50:55 PM

    Wonderful article...so accurate.........but to have included a few photos of shoes of the referenced makers would have been a nice inclusion...even so ...... many thanks from a male reader
    025059

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