If you pronounce the Eiffel the way it’s supposed to be pronounced in French, the title should make more sense than when you first look at it. Gimmick shapes in bags or shoes are not something that I’m particularly taken with. I can only grimace when the sentance ‘Influenced by the Eiffel Tower’ is used. Take the supposed ‘IT bag of 2008 aka Timmy Woods’ Eiffel Tower bag which happens to be featured in the forthcoming Sex and the City Movie, as carried (doh…) by Carrie Bradshaw. I can only express repugnance for this Swarovski encrusted bit of cheese.
But Gustave Eiffel’s 1889 Parisian iconic landmark need not be used this way in fashion. Anne Valérie Hash has created the Eiffel shoe for her spring summer 2008 collection and by picking out the shape of the Tour Eiffel subtly, nobody is going to be accused of wearing a tourist gimmick. The shoe will be available in iced brown (the colour of the iron it has rusted to), metallic pink and electric yellow (the vibrancy of light seen at night…) at EUR465. I can only breathe a sigh of relief that a shoe named after the Eiffel Tower came out unscathed and actually looks rather lovely with a sturdy chunky heel (reflective of the strong foundations of the landmark?) contrasting with the thin straps.
Speaking of Anne Valérie Hash, one of my favourite things in the world is to go into Dover Street Market and Liberty and have a good old feel of her softest of soft washed leather sacks that invariably have ruffled leather details…. the saving mission for an AVH bag goes on…
Source: S’Ei-ffel on the shoe….
