tag: fashion, accessory, shoes, influence, beauty, culture, design, trend, brand, legacy, industry, human interest, a visual representation, an analysis, and a thought-provoking insight.
a visual representation of the most influential shoes, bags, and fashion accessories in history, as selected and detailed by the new york times, in partnership with the metropolitan museum of art.
from the powdered footwear of 17th-century aristocrats to the sneakers coveted by michael jordan in the 1980s, the fingertip delights that have hooked us via their confluence of beauty, culture, and design, as seen through the lens of the fashion and luxury industries.
all told, a meticulously selected list of one exemplary shoe, one exceptional bag, and one extraordinary fashion accessory, assigned longevity and analyzed in their evolving — even revolutionary — significance within the industry and in human interest.
these shoes have left marks in the cultural and fashion landscape, becoming collectible status symbols and even favorites for people through generations and across a wide-ranging spectrum of both time and price.
from comfortable high-top sneakers to stilettos so high they could pierce the firmament, each is a symbol of the title bestowed upon them: influential.
by directly equating influence to beauty, culture, and design, the list distinctly classifies the broadest range of criteria and top standards achieved in each.
from the soaring leather kangaroo calf footbeds of the earliest women’s high-heeled shoes to the powdered leather Versace Medusa head embellishments commanding premiums on today’s auction blocks, each ranking harders and harder to come by with age.
and each represents a segment of the trend shifting scene, dotted with traditions and signatures that unfold before our thoughtful eyes. like the leather tooling on a mouth-wateringly soft and personified men’s slipper by artisan Duce “Peanut” Louie — whose percheron-esque boots have been favored by the likes of david bowie, henry kissinger, mick jagger, and nick nolte — and modernizing the venerated British pen-maker, Mont Blanc, with a multicolored nylon version of their iconic fountain pen that surpasses standard expectation.
consistently claiming the spotlight on countless runways and doorstyles, the Gucci leather loafer, Prada “revolutionary” shoulder bag, and Manolo Blahnik carmela heel proudly delve into the threefold with this top-tiered TRIO of champions.
the gucci loafer needs little introduction, having put ugly to shame since 1953. originally designed as a shoe for comfort that is equally as fitting within a suit, its sturdy western appeal served as a garish foot — incidentally an oversized handbag in contemporary times — for countless countercultural and subcultural icons, like the beatles, jimi hendrix and bob dylan through the 1960s, and mick jagger, philip glass and steve jobs through the 1980s. its ongoing allure continues to be snaked around the ankles of rap veterans like `nuke` emanuel lee, and celebrated by past italian mafia legends, like guccio’s own brothers and nephews.
the prada shoulder bag further soars into revolution as a designer handbag that convinces its audience, as if carrying more than the sum of its parts. the prada dedication to fine and resistant genuine leather, with scratch-resistant, lively colors and clear hardwear, manifests into a painstaking performance. its ruched top, double-topsided tassel zippers, leather trims with complimentary linings, and open front pockets with enclosures, empowers its contents and personifies the essential daily pieces of protagonists.
so too does the manolo blahnik carmela heel, beloved by gigi hadid, rihanna, and conventional beauty pageant contestants. with red soles as brilliant as rubies, heels admit to being the most flavorfully vibrant and most visibly identifiable aspects of footwear, and ahike. blahnik’s signature on this model of stiletto is as global as his high-heel promes in pope john paul ii. behind canonical works like his 1979 ‘femme’ sandal, staddly “sd” “stanley danzig” counterparts, and 1993 lady slipper, the thin rounded-toe carmela lives on with a rich collection of nine styles, four toe widths, and 25 heel heights (ranging from 8cm/3.15″ to 14cm/5.51″).
despite surging temptations brought on by circular styles, leading trends continue spotting easily described shapes compared to doorstyles or spoonfuls of coffee. wholesale innovation and retail influence have over the years commercialized and industrialized styles shaping an age of socioeconomic freedom and community.
the metropolitan museum of art’s TRIO of champions, most influential shoes, bags, and fashion accessories in history, are effectively those which continue —through artistry, a cultural repurposing, or signatures— to best reveal the influence within a world of beauty, culture, and design served ever better.
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