Have You Seen Nina Ricci's Stupefying Shoes?

The fashion world loves Nina Ricci designer Olivier Theyskens, but can we talk about the stilt-like shoes he designed for the fall collection?

The show, which took place in Paris yesterday, was goth in the truest sense of the word — black and sumptuous, with vivid spurts of red and glimmers of sapphire. But with each piece came these preposterous platforms, which New York magazine claims add ten inches to your height. Writes Sharon Clott:

From what we can tell, not one model fell, which proves the theory that heel-less shoes are easy to walk in.

Still, The Life Files blog felt the need to dub them suicide shoes. Because the sheer height — and the fact that the heel doesn’t touch the ground — seem like a deadly, if not merely ankle-snapping, combination. The models look like castle-dwelling decendants of royalty, but the chateau had better have an elevator — can you imagine going down a flight of stairs in these?

The question is, do the chunky platforms represent strength and power, through their height and visual weight? Or is is this another case of women being hobbled and handicapped by fashion? And maybe more important: Do you like them? Personally, I’m mesmerized… but not because I want them anywhere near my feet.

Nina Ricci’s Shoes Double As Stilts [NY Mag]
Nina Ricci Introduces The “Suicide Shoes” [The Life Files]
Earlier: Olivier Theyskens Totally Naked in French Vogue: Hot or Not?