Within a month's time, I've now found two new Italian shoe designers that don't automatically get bracketed as 'elegant' and 'classic' or particularly 'sexy' - three words that can get bandied about with Italian fashion. One is Stephen Venezia whose PR very kindly commented on the blog about stockist enquiries if you are desperate to get your mitts on some big-buckled shoes. My newest one and again, I'm not sure how they passed me by is Marséll (their website is a bit of an empty husk so a telephone call for info might be worth it depending on how deep you fall in love with their shoes). I might have stumbled upon them on Yoox once in a while but as with a lot of minor Italian brands on Yoox, I do have a tendancy to have a sieve of a brain when it comes to remembering them all. Now that the name is imprinted in my brain, I'm making it my mission to make an investment in a pair of Marséll boots for next season. I want something decidedly tough but not in a cliched way. Yes, a pair of 1940's Doc Martens would say 'tough' but I don't want my feet to be figured out so quickly and I'm loving the way Marséll shoes skirt around what they are. Masculine? Tom-boyish? Clunky? Sexy? Read what you like into them...
Here's the selection from Yoox which being past season are all quite reasonably priced. The curved square heels look like they'll go squelching in muddy grass very nicely (which is what I'd be intending to do in them...).
However, it was the latest collection from Luisa Viaroma that really cinched it for me, though it is significantly more pricy. Again, the heels are mud-squelchable but I'm especially loving the ribbed socks inside the brown double layered boots.
If you look at the mens selection (something which I'll be egging the boyf to do....), you can see the crossover between both sexes. Marsell clearly believes black patent should be worn by all, men or women (couldnt' agree more....) and the brogue styling, which is something that has only recently gone into mainstream for womens' shoes should be shared by all too.
(Background illustrations by my sister Louisa Lau who I have shamelessly plugged a few times but big congrats to her as she graduated with a first class honours degree at Central St. Martins today)
