“New Shoes Contemporary Footwear Design” Book

Need the perfect gift for a shoe lover?  Or a display for your table to convey your passion for footwear?  Then you will love New Shoes – Contemporary Footwear Design by Sue Huey and Rebecca Proctor.  Published by Laurence King, New Shoes surveys the creations of the most innovative designers of footwear working today.

More than any other fashion accessory, shoes inspire envy and greed.  Objects of beauty and desire, shoes epitomize exquisite craftsmanship.  They are sensual fetish objects, and they announce our personal style.  Who cares that we have only two feet — we want more new shoes.

This book is a tribute to the 25 intriguing visionaries who are steering the future of designer footwear.  Whether an art form or a fashion statement, all the shoes featured in the book are distinctive and beautiful creations redefining the citting edge.  Profiles include a synopsis and brief history, with photographs and sometimes sketches.  Represented are women’s and men’s shoes, sandals, and boots, illustrating the unique marriage between design and craftsmansip found in every great shoe.

“I see shoes as a form of great architecture.” ~ Rem D. Koolhass

“My designs reference Amercan trailer culture.  50’s pin-ups, and burlesque performers.”
~  Jennifer Osterhoudt

“Ideally, each idea conveys an emotion.” ~ Tiffany Tuttle

“It’s all about the silhouettes.” ~ Nicholas Kirkwood

“Season after season I travel through the history of my region.” ~ Guillaume Hinfray

“I love clean lines and sculptural shapes.” ~ Pierre Hardy

Sue Huey is Senior Footwear and Accessories Editor of Worth Global Style Network. She previously worked as a footwear and accessories designer for a leading international fashion house. She is also the author of Bags.

Rebecca Proctor is a fashion and design journalist. She is also author of 1000 Eco Designs and Where to Find Them.

Photographer: Esther Teichmann

Larger Feet Don’t Have to Be Less Fashionable!

That’s right.  Big feet can be beautiful too – and anyone who thinks otherwise will be proved wrong by the courageous and beautiful Katie Long Shoes.  If you are in need of large shoes for women, visit Katie’s retail website for big, beautiful shoes that just can’t be found anywhere else on the web.

The Katie Long Shoes website is truly one of a kind.  Put together by a fellow large-footed female, the retail website has been an absolute lifesaver for women with slightly bigger feet.  For anyone size 8 and above, shopping around for footwear that actually looks half decent is an absolute nightmare and the world of pretty, feminine shoes is as out of reach as planet Mars!  But not anymore!  Katie Long Shoes offers women with big tootsies the ultimate solution to ugly high street footwear.

Some of the world’s most beautiful women including Tyra Banks, Cindy Crawford Uma Thurman, Meg Ryan and Nicole Kidman have big feet, so why shouldn’t larger shoes be just as beautiful as petite footwear?   Katie didn’t understand why grands pieds were so disconnected from fashion, so her mission was to seek out the most gorgeous shoes in the world and share them with women with the same problem.  The KLS website now offers a huge collection of sexy stilettos for party wear, trendy summer wedges, comfortable yet stylish flats to elegant sandals that ooze femininity in every single way.  The available brands include JB Martin, Carmen Poveda, Mer du Sud and Katie’s very own shoe brand, KLS.

The KLS website makes the most hard to find footwear gems accessible to women who weren’t born with the luxury of dainty toes, offering size 8 ladies shoes, size 9 ladies shoes, size 10 shoes and above.   You will even find large wedding shoes, folding shoes and wide fit shoes.  From looking at the pretty product range, it’s clear that feet of all shapes and sizes are welcome and many large shoe shoppers never look back once they discover Katie Long Shoes.

To find out more about Katie and her beautiful large shoes for women, visit the website: www.katielongshoes.co.uk/.

CityFlips – Portable Flip Flips for Summertime Fun

Making the transition from the office to the beach just got one step easier and several steps more comfortable with the introduction of CityFlips Foldable Flip Flops. Launched by FUNK-tional Footwear, the company that introduced the concept of CitySlips foldable and AfterSoles rollable ballet flats to the marketplace, these portable flips flops are available in an array of colorful and vibrant prints such as leopard, zebra, and a black/pink stripe.

So, at the end of a long work day or week, stiletto-addicted executives, suburban and city commuters as well as busy moms can simply swap out their everyday heels for fun flip flops that come with their own travel pouch. Just like their CitySlips counterpart, the CityFlips travel pouch unzips into a full-size tote bag for heels.

CityFlips are priced at $20 while CityFlips Luxe (featuring a leather strap available exclusively at Neiman Marcus) are $38. Each pair of CityFlips comes with an expandable travel pouch.

“Since summer is all about having fun, enjoying the beach, or just relaxing, we wanted to create an easy way for women to make that transition from work to play,” notes Katie Shea, co-founder of FUNK-tional Footwear.  “Whether it’s for the walk from office to home or for lounging poolside, CityFlips are a great way to give all of us a fashionable, comfortable break from wearing heels all day or all week,” adds Susie Levitt, co-founder of FUNK-tional Footwear.

CityFlips along with other brands from FUNK-tional Footwear are now available at more than 2,000 retail locations nationwide including Dillard’s, Neiman Marcus, Mandee, Torrid, Ricky’s NYC, Bliss Spas, Bed Bath & Beyond, and hundreds of specialty stores across the country.

For more information or to purchase online, visit www.cityslips.com or www.aftersoles.com.  Company updates are also available on Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube (CitySlips and AfterSoles).

Program Recycles Flip Flops to Build Community Playgrounds

A recycling company called TerraCycle is partnering with Old Navy and running a free flip-flop recycling campaign during April for Earth Day!  What a perfect opportunity to clean out your worn out flip-flop collection in time for new summer styles AND save the environment at the same time.

Starting April 22 (Earth Day) and running through May 21, 2011, Old Navy shoppers can deposit their used flip flops in colorful collection bins found inside any Old Navy store.  TerraCycle will then recycle the flip-flops into four playgrounds which will be donated to communities around the country.

By bringing in these hard-to-recycle products to any Old Navy store in across the U.S., consumers help keep waste out of their community landfills.  TerraCycle is an international upcycling and recycling company that encourages consumers to rethink waste and makes it easy to have a positive impact on the environment.

WHEN: April 22, 2011 (Earth Day) through May 21, 2011

WHERE:  Old Navy stores across the U.S.

ABOUT TERRACYCLE: TerraCycle, Inc. is an international upcycling company that takes difficult to recycle packaging and turns it into affordable, eco-friendly products.  Founded in 2001, TerraCycle (www.terracycle <http://www.terracycle> .net) is the world’s leader in the collection and reuse of non-recyclable post-consumer waste.  TerraCycle works to collect used packaging and products that would otherwise be destined for landfills.  The waste is collected through TerraCycle’s Brigade programs, which are free fundraisers that pay schools and non-profits for every piece of waste they collect and return.  For information on TerraCycle please visit www.terracycle.net <http://www.terracycle.net> .

Falchi Bags Make Exotic Fashion Statement

Falchi bags, known as one of the masters of exotic skins and bold colors in the handbag world, has created yet another gorgeous collection. Make an exotic statement with Falchi’s fashionable and functional clutches, satchels, totes, hobo and weekender bags.

Carlos Falchi is unrivaled in the world of luxury handbags.  Committed to his own distinctive designs, Mr. Falchi has remained relevant and competitive for over 37 years. Industry recognition of his talent spans from a 1983 Coty Award to CFDA award nominations in 2004 and 2006. His designs have influenced the market from 1980 when Women’s Wear Daily declared his Buffalo Satchel, “the most copied bag in the industry,” until today as his designs compliment the runways of designers like Donna Karan, Catherine Malandrino, Vera Wang, Ralph Rucci and Bill Blass.

It all began when Mr. Falchi designed unconventional clothing and bags for himself, and soon thereafter Miles Davis, Herbie Hancock, Elvis Presley and Mick Jagger were just some of the few to don Carlos Falchi creations. His designs still permeate the entertainment industry in shows like Candace Bushnell’s Lipstick Jungle, starring Brooke Shields, and her movie, Sex in the City, as well as in Darren Starr’s series, Cashmere Mafia.

Carlos Falchi’s loyal customers are diverse as his talent and have included fashion icons such as, Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, Sharon Stone, Nancy Reagan, Jessica Simpson, Ann Bancroft, Tina Turner, Cate Blanchett, Mary J. Blige and Tina Fey.

In the early 1970’s, Mr. Falchi focused his attention on handbags and ultimately counted Henri Bendel, Neiman Marcus, and Bergdorf Goodman among his retail partners.

Each completely unique, his handbags were originally distinguished by unusual collages of diverse exotic skins. These techniques influenced the entire industry.  After having studied traditional arts in Japan in the late 1970’s, he reinvented his approach to design. In 1979, he created his first unconstructed, unlined buffalo satchel that he made from a single skin with only two seams, initiating a revolution in handbag making. Every Carlos Falchi creation continues to be made by hand.

Mr. Falchi has worked for decades to develop and increase farm-bred, exotic skins. These farms protect the species, provide environmental controls, and bolster employment in underdeveloped areas of the world. He continues to work with tanneries to find new techniques that better protect the world’s eco-systems.

Mr. Falchi re-launched his collection in 1999 after a brief hiatus and has enjoyed resurgences with stores such as Neiman Marcus, Saks Fifth Avenue and Bergdorf-Goodman, which all report brisk sales. His signature bags are renowned for their exotic skins and fine leathers in shapes that range from sleek clutches to oversized hobos. His collections have always showcased inventive finishes and new tanning techniques.

In addition to his many awards and nominations, Mr. Falchi has received Lifetime Achievement Awards from the Accessories Council of America in 2004 and from the Independent Handbag Designers of America in 2007. Several of Mr. Falchi’s designs reside in the permanent collection of the Costume Institute of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Visit carlosfalchi.com to view the exquisite collection of bags.  If you are lucky, you might find a great deal on Falchi bags online at endless.com and zappos.com.

2011 Shoe Calendars

For the truly sole addicted, shoe calendars make perfect gifts.  Who couldn’t resist a different shoe every day?   shuzsociety’s favorites for 2011.

Shoes Page-A-Day Gallery Calendar 2011
$8.79 available at Amazon.com
Buy Now – Shoes: 2011 Mini Wall Calendar

365 Days of Shoes (picture a day) Wall Calendar 2011
$11.69 available at Amazon.com
Buy Now - 365 Days of Shoes Calendar 2011 (Picture-A-Day Wall Calendars)

The Metropolitan Museum of Art 2011 Mini Wall Calendar
$7.99 available at Amazon.com
Buy Now – Shoes: 2011 Mini Wall Calendar

Afterheelz Provide Fashionable, Fold Up After Party Flats

We’ve all been in those situations when our feet are screaming to get out of our high heels and the thought of taking one more step in them is unbearable. Well, here’s a shoe that EVERY high heel lover needs.  This holiday season, Aterheelz provide a stylish way to walk for post-partying goddesses.  The fashionable, portable flats provide instant relief from high heels.

$19.99 – Available at Afterheelz.net

High heels may be a gift and a curse, but with a pair of Afterheelz, you can stop the pain and still look fabulous. Contained in a small zip-up pouch, Afterheelz slippers or flip flops roll up so small that they can be stashed in a handbag before hitting the town. At the night’s end, unzip pouch, unroll the shoes, and you’re ready to continue the night. The zippered pouch also contains a fold-out tote or drawstring bag large enough to carry high heels that have done their duty for the night.

$14.99 – Available at Afterheelz.net

Afterheelz is the brainchild of Vincent Santacroce, Brian Distasio, Don Richman, and Jensen Liu, four businesspeople who have been involved in the club scene for years.  “Every night, we’d notice girls leaving the clubs after a night of dancing with their heels in hand, walking out barefoot because they couldn’t take one more step in their heels,” said Mr. Santacroce.  “Seeing them walk across a casino floor barefoot is one thing, but when we saw women choosing to walk barefoot outside – a common sight on any given night in Las Vegas – we knew a product like ours would be perfect for them,” he added.

The stylish flats come in four sizes, (small 5-6, medium 7-8, large 9-10 and XLarge 11-12) and an array of colors like silver, gold, purple, pink, black, red and white.   Afterheelz are sold online at www.afterheelz.net or in numerous Las Vegas hot spots, including Hard Rock Hotel’s Vanity Nightclub, Wet Republic, Eve Nightclub, XS and Tryst Nightclub, Wynn, MGM Properties, and Encore Hotels, Sola and Euphoria Salons and other local Las Vegas distributors.  The shoes also began hitting the Miami nightclub scene, and are sold in LIV Nightclub and other hot spots in the city.  The shoe can also be custom ordered so that they flaunt logos, making them perfect for promotional events, parties and gift bags.

While Afterheelz are stylishly convenient, they are also durable enough to protect your feet from broken glass, cigarette butts and other potentially dangerous floor debris.  They come with an elastic strap on the inside for better comfort and a more customized fit, and are even skid and water proof for a pool or beach side rendezvous.

TrueBeautyRx Doing Their Part To Kiss OFF Cancer!

Our friends at TrueBeautyRx are doing their part to “kiss off cancer” with some sweet deals in honor of breast cancer awareness month. Benefiting the Susan G. Komen for the Cure, TrueBeautyRx will be donating 100% of every purchase of 2Shea Cosmetics “pink perfection” lip gloss and an additional 10% of all 2Shea Cosmetics sales for the month of October.

Get fitbook PINK and Give Back!

At shuzsociety, we believe a fit mind and healthy feet lead to a happy heart.  That’s why the fitbook is one of the “things we love!”  Looking for a way to track your daily food and exercise?  This is the perfect tool!  The small size make it easy to slip into your workout bag and purse to keep track of your daily progress.

Fitlosophy is proud to announce the launch of the limited edition fitbook^(TM) PINK in honor of breast cancer awareness month. nearly 90% of fitbookers are women, so we make it our mission to give back and create awareness around health issues that impact our community. here’s the scoop on fitbook PINK:

• available exclusively at www.getfitbook.com beginning october 1, 2010, fitbook PINK will be identical to the original fitbook, but it will feature pink binding and a pink breast cancer ribbon on the cover.
• for every fitbook PINK sold, $4 will benefit breast cancer awareness and research. $2 will be donated to the avon breast cancer crusade whose beneficiaries range from leading cancer research and clinical centers to community-based, non-profit breast health education programs. in addition, $2 will be donated to MyLifeLine.org, a charity dedicated to supporting the needs of cancer patients and their families and friends.
• check out the press on fitbook PINK – and then act fast to get this limited-edition fitbook while they last!

did you know?

• nearly 40% of all breast cancer cases in the U.S annually could be prevented with changes in lifestyle like eating right and exercising (the american institute for cancer research)
• exercising four or more hours per week can decrease estrogen levels and in turn lower breast cancer risk by about 20%. step it up a notch and make those workouts intense and risk for breast cancer decreases by as much as 50%!
• eating your fruits and veggies can greatly reduce your risk! a recent study on women who carried the BRCA mutation found that women who ate a wide variety of fruits and vegetables had up to a 73% lower risk of breast cancer than those who didn’t eat their veggies.

more than 240,000 women, and 1,000 men, will be diagnosed with breast cancer in the U.S. in 2010 (avon breast cancer crusade), but together we can make a difference.
join us today - get fitbook PINK and give back!

Add A Touch of Texture With Beirn Handbags

Garnering attention throughout the fashion industry, Beirn unveils another fantastic handbag collection for fall 2010.  Their signature watersnake material in unique colors completes any ensemble with a touch of texture.  The roomy, lightweight design of Beirn bags make this collection a shuzsociety favorite for fall!

Shop for Beirn handbags online at NeimanMarcus.com or instore.   For more about Beirn, please visit their web site at BeirnBag.com.

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