[Images: Eiffel Tower, Paris, designslinger; Shoe, Balenciaga /Artwork: designslinger]

"There was an old lady, who lived in a shoe....," when I saw this shoe by Balenciaga, that nursery
rhyme line came to mind immediately because the shoe reminded me of the Eiffel Tower, and got me thinking about the shoe as architecture. Granted the Tower wasn't built as a place to live, but look at the workmanship of this high heel and the structure of Eiffel's piece de resistance, and voilà - need I say more?

[Artwork: designslinger]

The construction of the shoe is very analogous to the construction of a building. The building
foundation, the same as the shoe's sole. The walls of the building which provide strength and structure, can be translated into the upper of the shoe, which can be a few straps, a piece of leather or a fabric. In each, the different elements combine to create the tensile strength that holds it all together and allows the designer to create something practical and utilitarian, or whimsical and boundary-pushing.

As with any design, inspiration can come from almost any source. We visited Rome a few years
ago and took photographs of some of the statuary in the Capitoline Museum in Rome. We've clipped a few of the shoes that were carved into the marble statues and compared them with some of this seasons styles. Some of the similarities are striking. I have no idea where the designers of the individual fashion houses found their inspiration, and after centuries of shoe design, I guess originality can only go so far. I mean, a sandal is a sandal.

[Images: Marble footwear, designslinger @ Capitoline Museum, Rome; Boot and leather sandal, Balenciaga;
Metallic sandal, Tory Burch /Artwork: designslinger]

As I was thinking about this post a few days ago, I began looking around for contemporary
footwear to contrast with Roman footwear, and I stumbled upon the Tory Burch sandal and decided to include it with today's artwork. I thought it was a good example of imitating the ancient style with some modern flair. Then, low and behold, in today's LA Times appeared an article about design, inspiration, imitation and out right copy-catting. The astonishing moment came when I read the name of the interviewee and this quote:

                                    "When I spoke to Burch a year ago, she said she found
                                      imitators flattering. But now, she's not so sure. 'I have
                                      called the heads of some companies and personally said
                                      'We are all inspired by people, but when its so literal....'
                                      the designer said over lunch in Beverly Hills. There's even a
                                      wall of shame in the New York office, where the staff posts
                                      photos of rip-offs.

                                      'Listen, I'm the first to say, I'm inspired by Balenciaga and Lanvin,
                                      but I make it my own.'"

Yes, the Burch is none other than Tory Burch of our shoe display. I hadn't intended on having
the opportunity of quoting the designer of one of our shoe selections in such a timely fashion. I feel that perhaps I should forward the photo of the foot of the Roman woman along with the Tory Burch sandal to Ms. Burch. Then I'd follow up with a phone call and ask her at what point does she consider something literally belonging to another's design or only inspired by another's design. But, perchance she doesn't consider two thousand year old designs a rip-off.

But, back to architecture and the shoe. If the House of Balenciaga was inspired by the Eiffel Tower
in the design of their shoe, or had no inspiration whatever from that source, I think the two are kindred spirits. And, if they did, I say bravo to Balenciaga for using an iconic architectural masterpiece and so cleverly crafting one remarkable pump.